Freelancer to Hunter(Volume 1)
by GaryOkampo
Summary: RE-WRITE: After realizing the true face of Project Freelancer, Agent Washington flees his homeland to start over and decides to seek redemption as a hunter. Now attending Beacon, can this Ex-Freelancer among hunters hide from his past? Will he face betrayal once again? And how far will the Director go to get what he wants? Find out in the greatest! Fanseries! Ever! Of all time!
1. A Second Chance(updated)

**A/N: I'm re-writing these chapters because I believe that they can be told better. There isn't a definite schedule so I will only upload these whenever I have writer's block or I want to take a break from writing Volume 2. Don't worry, I'll still be working on it. This is just a side project.**

**Oh, and also, I made one slight(but important) change to ****Washington.**

**I replaced the gray baseball-cap with a gray military-cap. ****Ya know...cause it's fitting.**

* * *

**Que: RVB OST- Hostile Merger**

* * *

_War. Is inevitable._

_It is a sad truth but it is part of our nature to create conflict, whether it be by circumstance….or intentional. Some may say that it is possible to avoid it or rid ourselves of war as if it were a disease. And they are not ENTIRELY wrong. When we band together, the world and it's people can put an end to pointless bloodshed. With those very hands, we can create a time of peace that can last for days, months, and even centuries. Yet no matter how many years pass, we can never free ourselves from conflict. We can only do what we can to prolong this era of prosperity. But, it will only delay a more violent reaction._

_Like it is said in the oldest of fairy tales, "The times change with the seasons". _

_Thus, a new war is coming._

_But I do not fear whether that the armies we prepared, the huntsmen we have trained, and even our guardians will be able to restore hope. But rather, will their minds and hearts be able to endure the dread and repercussions that come with it. If they are able to see this through to the end….without losing themselves to the flames._

_How can you prevent the corruption of the most honest of souls?_

"_Perhaps, you find a soul that is already broken."_

* * *

**End: RVB OST- Hostile Merger**

* * *

I can feel the metal rumble underneath my gray sneakers as I flew closer to my destination. Most of the passengers don't notice my presence, but those that do, give me strange looks before deciding to ignore me. That's fine with me since I rather prefer to be by myself. Especially in my current condition.

A computer voice announces, "Your attention please! We will be arriving at Beacon Academy shortly. Please gather your personal items and exit in an orderly fashion."

I sighed with relief when I finally arrived at my destination. After waiting through a twelve-hour flight across an ocean, three hours riding in a very slow taxi, and now another flight that took me two; needles to say, being jetlagged doesn't even come close. The doors to the airship open and the people begin to file out excitedly. I remained in the same spot waiting until I was the last person on board. When that finally happened, I adjusted the gray-military cap on my head and my dark-orange oakleys before grabbing my duffelbag.

A tower with glowing lights is what greets me when I step outside. Beacon, an academy to train the world's newest generation of huntsmen against the Grimm. I expected it to be like some sort of military academy. But the place looks like some sort of castle from a kid's novel. I looked over what was supposed to be my new "home" for next four years. I couldn't care less about the lush green lawns, appealing architecture, or the statue in front of the main entrance. All that mattered was making sure things worked out here.

I walk down the exit ramp when I notice a couple waiting for me at the bottom. There is a man in a green suit with gray hair, a cane, and a cup of coffee. Next to him is a woman with blonde hair and green eyes wearing black boots, leggings, dress, and white top. She also wore a black and purple cape.

"Welcome to Beacon Academy! I am Ozpin, the headmaster of this school. This here is Ms. Glynda Goodwitch, one of the professors here and my assistant," he greets me with a smile, "It is a pleasure to meet you David."

I cringe at how casually he used my old name.

"Call me Washington," I reply with a grumble.

Ozpin raises one of his eyebrows, "Are you not comfortable with others calling you by your real name?"

I answer back coldly, "I only let people I trust call me by _that_ name."

"And there are-?" he asks inquiringly.

My harsh answer is, "None."

Ozpin stares at me showing no change to my answer, "...Very well, but I do hope your time at this school will teach you to open-up more."

I remain silent and follow them to the dorm rooms. Some of the students began to whisper when they saw their headmaster guide me through campus. Feeling a little self-conscious, I covered myself with the hood of my jacket, figures I should focus on the long explanation Professor Goodwitch is giving.

"Because you are new student you will have to pass an initiation," the huntress glanced over her shoulder, "However, since you have begun attending here a week after the year started, yours will be different from the others."

I continue to listen silently as we walked through the "grand halls" of Beacon. My initial opinions were proven true the more I saw. Wide open spaces, no form of defense, coming here started to sound like a bad idea. Then again, where else can I go. I couldn't help but feel slightly relieved when we finally made it to my room in the dorms.

"During your time here you will act like any other student," Goodwitch continued, "You will attend mission briefings when given and are expected to obey school rules. If you do not, you will face _severe_ punishment. Any questions?"

"Yeah, about my past. How many people know?" I ask them.

Ozpin is the one who answers, "Only a small few know of your situation and rest assure that they can keep a secret. However, should you choose to reveal it, that depends on you."

I glare at them under my sunglasses which was basically telling them I never will, "Is there anything else?"

"Yes actually," Ozpin took out a device in his coat pocket before handing it to me.

I examine it, a bit perplexed by it's design. It's roughly the size of a phone but it had no touch screen or dial pad. My deductions told me that the yellow diamond in the center obviously looked important so I pressed it.

"That is a scroll," Ozpin explained when it widened to the size of a tablet in my hands, "As you can tell it's a communication device that can be used in a variety of ways. All Beacon students are given one after enrollment. Glynda's and my numbers are already programmed inside."

"So you can keep track of me," I frowned.

"So you can call us when you need help," he smiled unfazed, "I'm sure this technology must be new for you."

I collapse my new device before stuffing it in my pocket, "I'll manage."

Glynda scowled at me before opening the door to my quarters, "This room is meant for a whole team, but since there are no spaces available, you will have to stay here."

I step inside and look the place over. There is one bed on the right side of the room along with a cupboard to fit all my clothes(not that I have much to begin with). The door that led to the bathroom is on the left. My main concern is my desk that was sitting in front of the only window in the room. Nothing that a quick move around can fix.

"You will find your uniform and some spare sets in the cupboard. Also, your initiation is on Friday," Glynda announces in a serious tone, "You have four days until then, so I suggest you use your time wisely."

She closes the door and I'm left alone in my new room. After putting my duffelbag on my bed I immediately begin to secure the area. I check under mattress, bed frame, and desk for any listening devices or cameras. Moving my workspace wasn't too hard, now it's at a ninety-degree angle against my bed. Access to the bathroom is still on the far side, so I'll have to move quickly whenever I want to take a shower. The walls were too thin to install any wires and I couldn't spot any security cameras in the corners. All of this felt strange, with such low security, it's almost like I actually enrolled here. I mentally slapped myself at the thought, my situation is far from normal. Just to be safe, I pulled out the rifle case in my bag and inspected my gear. I took out my magnum and checked if there is a full magazine. I then placed it under my pillow with the safety on.

After finally feeling a little safe for the moment, I laid back on my bed. The soft-mattress wrapped around the edges of my skin, making me release an exhausted sigh. This is probably how I'm going to feel for these next few years, maybe the rest of my life. I try to get some well deserved sleep after the long trip from my old home to here. But I couldn't. I don't know why, but a part of me felt maybe a little….I don't know...excited at all this. Maybe a part of me thought that this was my chance to do some "actual" good. If that's the case, I'm not going to let anybody take this away from me.

Not even you….Director.

* * *

**A/N: Like I said, there isn't a definite schedule for when this will be released. So stay tuned.**


	2. It's All Wrong(updated)

**Many Years Ago…**

I was surrounded by a "special" type of darkness, the kind that makes it impossible to see your own hand in front of you and covers your skin in goosebumps. If it wasn't for the light hanging over me, along with the two-way mirror staring back, I probably couldn't even tell if I was looking forward or back. Yet even when I was standing here in my armor….I still felt cold.

"Agent Washington?" the Counselor's voice rings through the speakers, "Agent Washington?"

"...Sorry," I snapped out of my thoughts, "Were you saying something?"

"Were you thinking about the _incident_ again, Agent Washington?"

I said a simple, "No."

The voice continued, "What happened was not your fault."

"I didn't think it was."

"We take the necessary safeguards and algorithms to prevent this sort of thing. But, shamefully, they sometimes fail."

"Oh~," I dryly chuckled, "So it's your fault."

"We do not like to think it is anyone's fault," the Counselor stated, "Just a possible, rare, and unfortunate outcome."

"How convenient," I deadpanned at my reflection.

"Are you having new feelings about the incident?"

"If you're thinking of keeping me on medical leave, don't! I'm better now, both physically and mentally."

"Agent Arkansas would argue differently?"

"From C-Squad?" I tilted my head confused, "Why is that?"

"He is still…._bothered_ by the confrontation in the locker room," the Counselor explained, "He believes that you should be sent to a mental institution. For your own sake of course."

My hands clenched in order to keep myself from growling, "You've read the incident report, you know that he started it."

"We are not questioning what had transpired," he continued in his creepily calm tone, "Though we are concerned at how you handled the situation. You suffered only minor injuries; but Agent Arkansas was sent to the infirmary with a broken leg, dislocated elbow, and shattered visor."

"Self-defense," I stated, "He probably just got tired of picking on me these past few weeks without getting a reaction. What I did was justified," I then glanced at the security camera above the mirror, "And he's not the only one."

The Counselor was quiet for a few moments, "...So you would say you have overwhelming feelings of anger and….a need for revenge?"

I stared back at my own reflection, wondering if whoever it was on the other side could feel me glaring at them.

"More than you know."

* * *

**Present Day….**

Some habits are a hard to break. For an ex-soldier like me, it's waking up at the crack of dawn. I went through the sort-of stereotypical boot camp when I enlisted. Normally the drill sergeant would blare his horn when the recruits were in their deepest sleep and sadistically watch them stumble out of their cots. Except mine used a shotgun instead of trumpet. Eventually most of the troops adapted and we were wide awake the second sunlight touched our eye-lids. Much to the sarge's disappointment. Thanks to that, I'm now jogging around campus for some early PT at six in the morning.

I keep a steady pace as I ran past the buildings while the smell of morning dew went through my nose. Some of the students had the same idea, passing me by on a jog of their own. Like on the ship I made myself not as noticeable as possible, wearing average workout sweats and a gray hoodie over my head as my feet took me to the gym. On the outside the architecture is similar to that of the dorms. Inside it's like any other training room. Some weights here, a few dumbbells there, and a punching bag to relieve stress. In the center is a boxing ring for some sparring. God does that bring back memories. Reminds me of the time when York, Maine, and Wyoming fought against _and lost_ to Texas. That was the day when all the guys in the agency gave her the nickname "Ball Buster". It was also the same day York lost his eye due to the incident.

I push the memories back and make my way to the punching bag. I figure that with my initiation in a few days, I start working on my greatest weakness….CQC. Compared to the others at Project Freelancer I was the worst fighter. Agents Carolina and Tex could do things the human body would deem impossible. During both training sessions and missions I got my ass kicked every time. However, if I'm ever going to attend Beacon, then I have to try.

I start off with basic combat stances, punches, and kicks. Each time my fists made contact, the bag would swing back and forth while the chain keeping it suspended repeatedly creak. I know I wasn't the best fighter, but I know that I'm better than an average sim-trooper and/or soldier.

"Your forms all wrong," said a voice.

I turn around and see that it's a girl leaning on the ropes of the boxing ring. She had long blonde hair with lilac eyes and was wearing a simple yellow tank top and black workout shorts. Her choice of dress was a bit….revealing, but I quickly subdued those thoughts. She was lean, but I could tell she had some muscle on her meaning she came here often to train. I couldn't find any hidden weapons on her and it would probably be impossible to hide anything due to her wardrobe. But my eyes were more focused on that smug smirk on her face as if she was saying 'I know what I'm talking about'.

"Thanks for the advice," I answer with little to no joy in my voice and continue hitting the bag.

"I've never seen you before," she asks, "Are you new?"

I figured if I followed the famous ignore-someone-until-they-decide-to-leave plan than I'd finally be by myself. However, apparently for this girl, it doesn't work.

"You know your form's still wrong," she interrupts again.

I let out a groan, "And you can do better?"

"Way better," she grins again.

"I take that as a challenge then?"

She hops off the ropes, inviting me to the ring, "If you're up for it."

I know most people say it's wrong to hit a girl, but I figured she is the type of person who won't take "no" for an answer. Even so, I still plan to go easy on her.

She directs me to a basket near the ring with some spare sets of sparring gear. Lucky me to find a pair of MMA gloves in my size. We both step into our respective corners, her in the red and me at blue, warming up with light jabs and footwork.

The girl turns to me, still twisting her neck joints, "You wanna do something about your glasses and your hat?"

"No," I stretch my triceps, "You wanna do something about your hair?"

"Nobody touches the hair!"

She seems to care a lot about that, but it's going to get in the way when she moves which will give me the edge. We gently tap fists and begin the match. She comes at me with some jabs that I easily dodge. I try to counter with a strike but she deflects it with an elbow. I quickly do a roundhouse, but she's able to block it. We exchange blows for a little while and each of my attacks were either deflected or blocked. In an act of desperation I try to give a right hook to her stomach. She grabs my arm and elbows me in my chest then spins me around and delivers a spinning kick to my face. I land on my back with a thud taking in the force of the kick.

The feeling of stars circling in my eyes deeply reminds me of the time I sparred against Carolina, and lost. The girl offers me a hand and pulls me up, pretty strong despite her appearance.

"Not bad," she snickers, "But you made some major mistakes back there."

"And those would be?"

She ponders for a moment before explaining, "Your movements, though powerful, are too slow. I could see them coming at me before you even thought of them. Second is you shouldn't act out of desperation. I noticed you tried to give me a right hook to end it all. Don't assume you can end everything with a final strike. Keep on hitting until your opponent goes down."

I raise a brow, impressed at her thorough explanation, "You know a lot about fighting."

"Meh. It's my thing," She shrugs and looks at the clock, "Crap, it's 8:00!"

Gathering her things like lightning she leaves the gym.

She stops while still jogging in place and looks at me, "I forgot to ask. What's your name?"

"It's Washington."

"Yang. You gonna be here tomorrow Wash?"

Did she just call me Wash?

I didn't understand at the time, but I distinctly remember saying, "Yes."

"Awesome," Yang says she exits, "I'm running late so-I-gotta-go-bye!"

As she leaves the room, _her_ voice suddenly pops in my head.

_Don't say goodbye._

I grab my head in pain from the phrase. The migraine lasts only for few moments, thankfully Yang wasn't there when it happened. I did NOT want to deal with questions on my first day here.

All I could mutter was, "Goddammit!"


	3. Initiation Beatdown(updated)

**A/N: Here is an updated version of chapter 3**

**For those of you who are reading this for the first time, most of Wash's gear is described in the chapter. However, here is some of the things that you may need help picturing.**

**-The battle-rifle and magnum are the versions from Halo 4**

**-He carries a healing unit like the Halo 3 re-generator**

**-The gauntlet on his right forearm resembles IQ's gauntlet from Rainbow Six Siege**

**Now enjoy.**

* * *

**Many Years Ago….**

"GUUFFAWW!"

My body skidded against the metal floor until my helmet tapped against the wall. The room around me just kept on spinning after that last punch, which made trying to get my bearings even harder. All I could make out was someone in tan-colored armor tapping my visor with their finger.

"Hey, Carolina," York looked me over for any injuries, "I'm all for a group training session, but don't you think you should hold back just a little?"

"The enemy won't hold back during a mission, so why should I?" the squad's leader argued, "Besides, what point is their in learning how to fight if you can't take a hit?"

"That makes sense when both parties get bruised up. Not when it's one-sided," the tan freelancer helped their young teammate up, "You doing okay Wash?"

"Y-Yeah," the gray freelancer gripped his helmet, "J-Just give me second to…..stop my brain from rattling."

"Come on Wash!" Carolina ordered from the far side of the room, "Don't keep your commanding officer is waiting!"

South cheered from the sidelines with the others, "Yeah Wash, she's waiting! I got ten bucks on whether you'll say something stupid when you get hit again!"

The rookie freelancer growled at the insult, about to charge at her until York stopped him, "Easy, easy there kid. Lashing out won't stop the insults. The best way to shut her up is focus on the fight and prove her wrong."

"Right," Wash repeatedly breathed in and out, "Right, just ignore her."

"There we go," York handed him the training baton.

"Got any other tips before I'm sent flying back to you," the young agent rolled his shoulders.

"I would," the tan freelancer slapped Wash's back, sending him forward, "But then you wouldn't learn anything now would you?"

Carolina patiently waited for her opponent, twirling her baton around until both of them were in the training circle.

"Ready?" the squad's best fighter got into a combat stance.

Wash did the same, gripping his weapon tightly until he heard the bell ring, "Ready."

* * *

**Present Day….**

Today is the day, my initiation. In order to prepare and ace this exam, I didn't waste the time I had before then. Sometimes I went to the gym with Yang already there for our morning sparring match. Although those fights tend to end with getting my ass handed to me. Other times I practiced my marksmanship at the school's shooting range. Which I make-up for my….difficulty with CQC. Also, for legitimate reasons, get a better layout of the campus. In my opinion, this place is too exposed for an attack and it's too "fancy" to what I'm used to. But, it's an academy, so it's natural to look like a school.

Right now I'm in the locker room getting ready for whatever challenge I'm going to face today. I obviously couldn't wear my old armor since it would be a dead give-away to who I was. So instead, I had to go to a local weapons shop to buy to some parts for a makeshift battle armor. My legs had metal plated boots and steel gray combat pants with knee pads and a holster. Upper body is covered with a combat hoodie and a Matrix TF3 vest with yellow trims. I covered my face with a steel gray balaclava along with the combat sunglasses and military-cap I usually wear. The only thing I have from my old uniform is my EMP unit on one of my gauntlets and a healing unit in one of my pockets. Professor Goodwitch also gave me non-lethal rounds for my battle-rifle and magnum so I can use my guns without hurting anyone. At least not much.

I close my locker and make my way to Beacon's amphitheatre. The building is massive, having a stadium-like structure that encircled a stage on the far side. However Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch are in the center of the room waiting for me.

"Good morning," the school headmaster greets me, "Ready to _officially_ start your time here?"

"Ready as anyone can be," I look around the room, "So when do we start?"

"In time," Ozpin smirked as he took a sip from his mug, "For now, why don't you tell what you have been up to these past few days."

* * *

It was weird that Wash wasn't at the gym this morning. We've been training hand-to-hand for the past few days and I was planning to teach him grappling today. I know most people think it's "inappropriate" for two people of opposite genders to wrestle on the ground, but I can't wait to see the look on his face when I put him into a headlock. Wait a minute, he wears those sunglasses and that hat all the time. I wonder if he's one of those hides-their-faces-but-are-surprisingly-hot kind of guy. Oh well, it's Friday and that means this weekend I get to lay back and relax. That is if Professor Port would eventually shut up about his life stories for the millionth time this week.

Lucky me that an announcement began to play on the PA.

Thank. God.

"Would teams RWBY and JNPR please report to the amphitheatre. I repeat, teams RWBY and JNPR report to the amphitheatre."

Professor Port excuses me, my sister, Blake, and Ms. Ice Queen from class and we all make our way to our destination. Along the way we met with Vomit Bo-I mean Jaune's team. As we all walk together, we came up with a bunch of theories of why we were called.

Ruby, my little sister, asks excitedly, "Maybe it's a mission?"

"The message didn't seem urgent," Pyrrha answers.

Nora happily skips along and oddly suggested, "Maybe it's someone's birthday and we're gonna get cake?"

Ren, as usual, corrects her, "Nora, no one's birthday is today."

Her eyes comically widen in horror, "The cake was a lie!?"

The happy couple continued their discussion about cake while we kept on walking.

Weiss rubs her forehead in frustration, "Yang, I swear if this is because you broke more school rules I'll-"

"Relax Weiss, you know I've been a good girl all week," I answer with a grin.

"Speaking of which," Ruby narrows her eyes at me, "You've been waking up earlier than all of us lately."

I snort at her 'interrogation', "I've been training you know that."

"Maybe it's a guy," Nora gasps, placing her hands on her cheeks, "Oh my gosh! Maybe they're having secret rendezvous."

"Well~," I casually place my hands behind my head, "You're not entirely wrong."

It was hilarious to see the look on everyone's faces when they heard my answer. I bet none of them expected any guy who handle being alone with me. I-...Wait, that sounded dirty.

We arrive at the amphitheatre and we find Professor Ozpin, Goodwitch, and a guy in the center of the room.

"Well whatever it is," Jaune points at the guy near the headmaster, "I think it has something to do with him."

His clothes were all steel gray with yellow trims. He looked familiar even though he is covering his face, but I decide to ignore it for now and we all form a line in front of Ozpin.

"Good, you're all here," he greets us with a smile, "Today we're going to have an initiation for a new student. However, since it has been a week into the semester, we would like you to assist us in welcoming him."

The guy next to him walks up standing next to Ozpin.

"This is D-I mean Mr. Washington. Due to certain circumstances he is very shy in showing his face. Don't worry, I am sure he will eventually open up to you all."

Washington looks at Ozpin and then looks at us giving a silent nod. Ruby and Nora try to give friendly waves, but he does nothing. However my eyes widened when I finally realize.

"Wash?"

He notices me, but then turns his head away.

"It's me, Yang," I smirked at him, almost gloating, "You know, the girl who has kicked your ass the past few days."

"Please try not to remind me," he sighs.

Typical Wash.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Weiss asks.

"Yeah we've-"

"Ahem," Professor Goodwitch interrupts us, "Right now, Mr. Washington needs to pass an initiation test in order to get into Beacon. You eight will face him one-by-one in consecutive rounds. If he can defeat at least four of you, then he passes. Head to the locker room, put on your combat gear, and report back here in ten minutes."

We all nod our heads in agreement and heads towards our lockers. Me in particular, had a smile on my face.

Man I love Fridays.

* * *

I ask Ozpin as we watch the others leave, "Why didn't you tell me I was going to fight eight people one at a time?"

"Always expect the unexpected," he swirls his coffee around, "If we told every student what the initiation was, then we would have many more students attending Beacon."

That does makes sense. Knowing what's on the test makes it easier to be tempted to cheat. And it doesn't prepare you for real life.

"So how do you know Ms. Xiao Long?" he asks me.

I try to play dumb, "Who?"

"The blonde one who called you 'Wash'," the headmaster teased with a smirk.

I ignored his attempt at being funny, "She tutored me on hand-to-hand combat during my first few days here."

"Well, it seems it is the time to put those new skills to the test."

The eight of them come back all armed and prepared for battle. The order of who I was going to fight is randomized in order to keep me on my toes. My first opponent is a blonde guy identified as Jaune by his cohorts. His outfit is similar to civilian wear, only it has bits of armor covering it. His weapon of choice is a simple sword and sheath that turns into a shield. He seems nervous when facing me which causes him to leave himself wide open. Apparently he is the weakest of the group since he went down easily from a rifle-butt to the head. Jaune was helped off stage by a girl with bronze armor, green eyes, and long red hair. It must have been my imagination, but her appearance was too close of a resemblance to Carolina. I'll have to be careful around her.

Next up is a girl in pink named Nora who is armed with a grenade launcher that can turn into a hammer. Despite her small size, she carries a massive weapon which is fascinating as to how she is even able to lift it. I keep my distance, letting her swing her weapon around as she tries to smash me. Even with her strength she can still get tired from moving around for so long and I took her out with a few shots to the stomach. Nora walks off stage rubbing her bruises and, as if on instinct, sat next to a man with pink eyes. I could have sworn that he was glaring at me after examining her, but I ignore it.

My third opponent is a young girl in red who seems to have a connection with Yang. She is still loud and brash, but also kind and supportive. Her little sister perhaps? Odd how the two look nothing alike, one of them is probably adopted. However, what really put me off is the young girl's sniper rifle that also turns into a massive scythe. Fighting her was a bit difficult but I used the same tactic from my match with Nora. I exhaust her movements and ammo by keeping her back with my rifle, even resorting to dodging. She runs out of bullets trying to propel herself to get around me. She went for a final slash and I took her down with a slight knee to the stomach. I chose to hold back a little because she is the youngest of the group.

This next round, my opponent is Yang. We circle around each other when we hear the bell ring, gauging who will strike first.

She forms her usual smirk, "You ready for this?"

"I think I have the advantage this time," I answer back.

"And what is that?"

"A gun."

I quickly open fire and let out a three-round burst straight at her. They were non-lethal so the worst they would do is give a painful sting. She dodges out of the way and arms her gauntlets.

"You're not the only one," she chambers a round.

Yang fires a chain of shotgun blast from her wrist which I dodge-roll out of the way. I continue firing at her, hoping to at least hit her once. Sadly she uses her gauntlets to propel herself around me. I focus my sights and fire one of my shots into her shoulder, sending her to the ground. I charge forward, trying to end it by hitting her with the butt of my rifle. However she quickly rolls out of the way. She gets up and we both aim our weapons at each other.

"What'd I say about acting out of desperation?" she playfully asks.

"To never do it and keep on hitting," I say sarcastically.

She grins and we continue the match. Yang throws a shot-gun powered punch, but I'm able to block with my arm. However that last strike sent me flying. I land on my feet, skidding to stop as I quickly retaliate. She dodges the shots again, but one of them makes it through her hair. Everyone froze and gasp at the sight of the few strands that fell to the ground.

I looked at all of them strangely. What's the big deal, it's just hair?

I then notice the atmosphere around my opponent is….different. Her teeth were gritting against each other and her fist were curled to the point I could hear the muscles straining.

"Yang?" I prepare myself for anything, "Are you okay?"

"...You," she snarled, her eyes blood red instead of their usual color, "YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

At that moment she propels herself towards me at blazing speeds. I'm lucky enough to raise my rifle at the last second to shield myself. She throws a punch, and then another, then another. Is it me, or were her strikes getting stronger!? Her final punch sends my battle rifle spinning across the floor. I quickly activate my EMP unit, and even if it doesn't effect her gauntlets, the flash provides enough of a distraction. She stumbles back shielding her eyes which gave me enough time to tackle her to the ground. I pin her wrists above her head while she struggles to get up. For a few minutes that felt like hours, I use all my strength to keep Yang from bashing my face in. Eventually her eyes return to their usual color.

However I'm not sure if she is still a threat. While on top of her I place my magnum between her eyes.

"Hands up!" I shout.

She looks at me and rolls her eyes as she mockingly did what I told her. I immediately get off of her but keep my aim steady.

Yang sticks out her hand, "You gonna help me up?"

I narrow my eyes, not moving an inch.

"...Okay then," she gets up by herself, "So much for being a gentleman."

She notices that I still have my sidearm aimed at her, "You can relax. I'm not gonna hit you."

I holster my weapon, convinced she's back to her usual self. After a quick examination of my battle-rifle, I find a whole lot of dents and even it being bent slightly. A sudden chill went up my spine as I realize that this could have been me. Now I have to find a way to repair it!

I turn to the perpetrator, both pissed at the state of my primary weapon and how she almost killed me, "What the hell just happened!?"

"Oh, that," Yang chuckles while she rubs the back of her head, but quickly crosses her arms, "Well that's what happens when you mess with my hair!"

I furrowed my brow at her answer. I remember she said the same thing when we first met, but I thought she just took pride in taking care of it. It's not something to kill someone over.

Ozpin claps in the background as he approaches us.

"Congratulations Washington, you are now a student at Beacon Academy," he announces to everyone in the room, "From this day forward you will be part of teams RWBY and JNPR."

When I heard those words, my stomach twisted itself to the point that it's unrecognizable.

"What do you mean 'part of a team'!?" I stomp towards Ozpin, jabbing a finger into his chest, "The deal was that I get to work alone!"

The others look at me like I'm crazy wondering why someone would rather work solo than on a team. Ozpin gives a long glare at me until he finishes his announcement.

"As I did," the huntsman pushed away the digit, "You will still be working solo, but as support to both teams. I suggest you get along with them so you can do your job."

I clench my fists at his words. I wanted to become a huntsman, but I wanted to do it by myself. After what happened at Project Freelancer I can't trust anyone anymore. So how am I going to trust a bunch of people I just met today!?

Ozpin turns to the rest of the students, "Thank you all for participating, enjoy the rest of your day."

As he leaves the auditorium, I feel Yang's arm over my shoulder, "Looks like we're teammates 'ey Wash!"

"Get off of me," I reply not even trying to hide my irritation.

Her lilac eyes widen as I hop off the stage. The two teams obviously back away, letting me walk towards the locker room alone….just the way I like it.


	4. I Can't Trust Anyone

**Author's Note: I come to you with an another chapter! I had so much fun working on the last one that I couldn't wait to add another.**

* * *

**Many years ago….**

York was laying on the ground giving out painful groans. His armor was damaged and his visor was cracked due to Maine and Wyoming's antics of bringing live ammo onto the training floor. The Director eventually arrived onto the scene and I was sure that they would be punished.

"Everyone, stand down! Now!" he shouts causing us to quickly get in line, "You should all be ashamed of yourselves. I expect you to act as a team."

I try to explain the situation, "They were using live ammunition on the floor sir. That's against regulations."

The Director suddenly gets into my face, "Do you think our enemies will care about regulations on the battlefield Agent Washington!?"

"So...you're not punishing them?" I ask confused as I backed away from his outburst.

"Ingenuity and adaptability are admirable traits," he says returning to his calm demeanor as he watched the medics who were helping York.

He turns and walks away with the councilor following behind him, "You should all learn something from this."

I couldn't believe it. Regulations were clearly broken, not only did the Director let it slide but he praised Maine and Wyoming's actions. It should have hit me that there was something strange about the project, but I continued to follow orders like a good soldier.

* * *

**Present Day….**

"Mr. Washington? Mr. Washington!"

"Huh! Wah!"

"Mr. Washington, I expect you to pay attention in my class instead of daydreaming," Professor Oobleck says in his usual speedy manner.

Right now I'm in history class with Professor Bartholomew Oobleck. The way this guy moves at such a fast pace would put Carolina to shame. I wonder if he has some advanced tech on him, that or he really loves coffee.

He quickly resumes his lecture, no pun intended, "Now class, as I mentioned before, many nations handled the Faunus War differently. One of these was the country of Gulch or most famously known as 'Blood Gulch' for it's violent history. Despite that, Gulch has been able to produce technologies far more advanced than any country in the world due to it being one of the rare nations that has very small Dust mines. During the war, they applied these sciences to the war effort and are now using it to hunt down the White Fang."

Everyone in class tries to play close attention, but most have probably given up because of how fast this guy was talking.

"There have been many rumors surrounding the nation's government. One of which was a secret military project where super-soldiers hunted down the White Fang and prevented any attacks. Others ranging from a civil wars over flags to first contact with alien life. This is just one of the many rumors surrounding Gulch."

Oobleck may be hyperactive, but the man knew his history. Except we weren't super-soldiers, we were "highly-trained" operatives. Gulch may have been the most prominent non-dust dependent society in the world, but it also had its share of problems. Project Freelancer started out with noble intentions, but then we…I don't know…we just got worse.

He then announces, "I want a report on my desk next week about one of the rumors surrounding Gulch distinguishing the difference between fact and fiction. Thatisallclassdismissed!" and exits as soon as he finished.

Finally it was lunch time. Despite the fact that Oobleck moves like a hamster on coffee, his classes go on forever. I enter the cafeteria and do a quick scan of the area. The place is filled to the brim with students making it difficult to track them all. The main entrance was the archway I came in along with the exits in the kitchen for the staff. I'll have to find a spot where I can over watch the entrance and the kitchen. Preferably alone. However it seemed some mystical force out there enjoyed screwing with me as I suddenly felt a tug on my arm.

"Yang, what are you doing?" I ask annoyed.

"You're one of our teammates dude. Everybody wants to get to know ya," She says with her usual grin.

I roll my eyes in annoyance. Does she really expect me to forget what happened in the arena? Much less am I going to get along with a bunch of strangers. I try to escape, but her grip was a strong as steel. I decided to just let her take me and let everybody know that I wasn't interested. With a bit of force she places me at the table where Team RWBY and JNPR were eating lunch. Both teams looked at me with curious eyes after my outburst yesterday until the tension between us was getting thick.

"Soooooo," Yang says, trying to lighten the mood, "You guys got any questions for Wash?"

They all look at each other and decide to play along.

The first was the girl in bronze from yesterday, "Where are you from?"

Looks like Carolina. Sounds like Carolina too. I _definitely_ don't want to work with this people.

"Can't say," I answer coldly.

Then Jaune, "What school did you go to?"

"Can't say."

Followed by the girl in red, "What weapons do you have?"

"A battle rifle and a magnum."

Then Nora, "Is your first name 'Washington' or is it your last name?"

"Can't say."

Finally some rich girl in white who I recognized as Weiss Schnee, "You can't say your real name?"

"Can't say."

A girl with a black bow, who took a break from her book asks, "Why not?"

"I don't trust anyone," I answer coldly with a bit of anger.

The table is enveloped with silence and they seem taken aback by my statement. Hopefully this will teach them to keep their distance from me. I silently get up and walk away.

Why should I work with a team? After what I've been through, no way. Never again.

As I walk through the hallway, Ozpin appears from around the corner.

He speaks to me with a serious tone, "When I said you would attend this academy. I expected you to open up more."

* * *

**Yang POV**

"What's with him?" Ruby asks as Wash walks off.

Weiss answers in a snobbish manner, "Clearly Washington is nothing more than a cold-hearted brute."

I try to defend him, "He's just doesn't know how to deal with people."

"How would you know that!?"

"Oh. My. Gosh!" Nora shouts getting up from her seat, "He was the guy you were meeting during your secret rendezvous."

Everyone at the table looks at me with extreme curiosity, mainly my sister.

I immediately put my hands up, "No it's not like that! Well, yeah we did meet before his test, but it was to simply train."

"Riiiiiggghht," Ruby teasingly says giving me a playful look.

Well now this is awkward, usually it's me who does the teasing, but here the _tables_ were turned. HA, that was a good one! I mean it's not like I hate him, he's just a bit anti-social. Besides I don't even know if he's a hot guy under those sunglasses and baseball cap. If he is than maybe I can work my magic- WAIT! Don't even go their Yang, you're a huntress-in-training now. You can only party, flirt, and maybe get some on Fridays and the weekend. Man, trying to be a good student sucks.

I let out a sigh, "Look, let me talk to him. See what's on his mind."

I then run off trying to find Wash.

* * *

**Washington POV**

Ozpin starts his lecture, "David-"

I immediately shoot him down with an angry and annoyed look which Ozpin notices but continues anyway.

"Washington, I know it may seem that you have been betrayed. But I assure you, this is for the best."

"You expect me to believe that?" I reply still miffed.

"Being the support for the two teams means you have to help these students physically _and_ emotionally."

"So I'm their babysitter," I state sarcastically.

Ozpin let out a small smirk, "More like their backup slash psychiatrist slash...friend."

"Friend?" My eyes slightly widen until I let out a dry chuckle, "In case if you haven't noticed _Headmaster_, but I don't have any friends."

I cross my arms under my chest, "And I don't exactly have that greatest of people skills."

"Not the way you are now, but you are different from the way you were before the 'incident' at Project Freelancer."

My eyes then completely widen under my glasses, "How did you-?"

"I have my ways _Agent_ Washington," Ozpin smirked again and then returned to a neutral state, "And I know that you have been through a lot. What you've endured would break any sane man, though it has been brought into question. Despite that, you overcame it and decided to become a hunter. However, becoming one is only the first step in your redemption," he then leans forward into my face, "Regaining your humanity is the next."

I remain silent as I continue to listen to every word.

"Both teams RWBY and JNPR are some of the brightest and most talented groups at Beacon. I can see that they have a bright future awaiting them. But, they are also very naive. Some have no idea to how cruel the world really is and eventually their courage will falter. Your job, your mission, is to ensure that it never happens. In time they will learn to trust you and I sincerely hope that you will do the same."

I eventually remembered something from my past. The one event in my life that caused me to never trust anyone ever again.

"The last time I trusted someone…I was shot in the back," I state in a cold voice.

Ozpin remains silent and continues to look at me while I gaze at the floor.

* * *

**Yang POV**

Goddammit where is he!? I've been looking for him for hours(actually it's been 5 minutes). What's his problem? We were just trying to get to know him, sure I may have almost killed him yesterday, but he didn't have to act all harsh like that. Somebody has got A LOT of explaining to do.

I eventually hear a voice from around the corner that sounded like Professor Ozpin.

"In time they will learn to trust you and I sincerely hope that you will do the same."

I take a glance around the corner and find Professor Ozpin and Wash talking to each other.

Wash raises his head and looks at the Headmaster, "The last time I trusted someone…I was shot in the back."

Wait! Wash was shot! Not only that but by someone he trusted. No wonder he has people/trust issues. I guess my little outrage destroyed our friendship. Companionship? Camaraderie? Whatever was destroyed!

The two stare at each other more until Ozpin walks down the hallway leaving Wash who was staring at the floor.

"The past can be quite a burden on us Agent Washington," he says looking back at him, "You must learn to overcome it…for your sake _and_ theirs."

Wash regains his senses and walks in the opposite direction. I quickly leave hoping that he didn't see me.

* * *

**Washington POV**

The night sky eventually arrived and I was sitting alone, cross-legged next to my bed with neatly organized rifle parts in front of me. The school's weapon's expert and also blacksmith was kind enough to make the parts needed to fix my weapon. He offered to repair it for me, but I told him I could do it myself. As I sat there polishing and putting my primary weapon back together, Ozpin's little speech kept replaying in my head. Should I open up to them? They're my teammates now so I should, right? No I can't! Not after what happened back then. I let out a long sigh mentally looking over my options. I seriously don't know what to do right now.

"_You wanna talk about it?_" came a voice.

"No. I don't," I answer back coldly.

"_You're still mad about that time. Aren't you?_" it said.

"You did give me the worst headache ever."

"_Of all time. Yeah, I remember,_" was what it said as it formed on my desk next to my bed.

It appeared in the form of a young man, probably in his twenties. His holographic body was cobalt with circuits flowing along his "skin" while his hair was black and scraggly.

I paused for moment after I finished assembling my battle rifle, "What are you doing? You never come out."

"_I normally don't, but you need help,_" the figure said.

I scoff as I checked the sights, "Right cause the thing in my head that made me cynical wants to help me think more positive."

"_Look, I'm sorry that you were chosen to be with me!_" the figure shouted, "_But we're partners now and partners lookout for each other._"

I get up and lean towards it, "We are not partners. Because of you I'm all alone and I hate you for it. The only reason I'm keeping you inside my head is because you're leverage."

The figure looked down appearing like it felt guilty as I then hear a knock on the door.

"Log off," I commanded and it complied.

I grabbed the magnum from under my pillow and slowly approached the door. I open it while keeping the pistol behind my back expecting to find trouble. Instead of a threat, I found Yang, who oddly didn't seem to be in her usual happy mood.

"Hey," she said.

"Hi," I said back.

"So...watcha doin?" she asks.

"Fixing the rifle that _you_ broke," I stated bluntly.

"Yeah that," she dryly laughs

I noticed she was holding a mental debate as I could see her eyes moving to both ends of the hallway, "Can I…can I come in?"

I ponder for a minute but eventually let her in. She enters and looks around my room which gives me time to put my magnum back under my pillow.

"Nice place, but it's a bit spacious. It could use some things to brighten it up a little. A couple of posters, a few porn magazines under the bed-."

"What do you want?" I say getting straight to the point.

She stops what she's doing and takes a deep breath.

She looks at me with an unexpected seriousness in her eyes, "I heard your conversation with Professor Ozpin."

My eyes widen under my glasses(again), "What did you hear!? How much do you know!?"

Yang raises her hands and calmly explains, "I only heard the part about you being shot in the back. I didn't hear anything before that."

I relax a little, relieved that my secret wasn't exposed.

"I can't imagine how it felt for you. To be betrayed like that," she says.

I remain silent as Yang walks towards me, "Look, I'm sorry that we bombarded you with questions earlier today. We just wanted to get to know you."

Our faces were eventually looking at each other, my sunglasses into her lilac eyes.

"You don't have to open up to us as soon as you can. Just…take it slow."

This girl…she is willing to trust me, despite how I reacted earlier. No one has ever done that to me. Not since…

I tried to say something, but the words were blocked.

"I…I was on one...a team I mean," I admit and return to my silence.

Yang lets out a smile, "It's a start."

She walks out, but stops at the door frame, "I'm sorry about your weapon, I sometimes can't think straight when I'm angry."

A short glance at her face showed me that she really did feel guilty from what happened the past two days. I don't know why, but a part of me didn't want this to end with her hating herself.

"Yang," I sheepishly said causing her to turn towards me, "I'll…try."

She smiles again and closes the door as she leaves. As soon as she's gone the figure from before forms behind me.

"What is it?" I ask.

"_I don't know. She just feels…familiar,_" it said confused.

"Feels?"

"_It's probably nothing._"

"Okay then," I said and got ready for bed.

I lay down until the figure says it's final words, "_Hey Wash?_"

"Yeah?" I asked as I covered myself with a blanket.

"_I really do hope things work out here,_" it said and disappears.

After it vanished, a few words escaped my mouth as I wondered if it heard me.

"_Me too Epsilon,_" I close my eyes as I tried to get some sleep.

* * *

**Author's Note: So it seems our favorite AI is still with our favorite Ex-Freelancer. And is there something going on between Wash and Yang? Let me know what you guys think in a review.**

**GaryOkampo logging off.**


	5. Meet the Team

**Author's Note: Another day, another chapter...since I don't know what to say at this point I'll let you start reading.**

* * *

**Many years ago….**

The place looked like some kind of "sci-fi" classroom. Only instead of students there were full grown adults and a couple people around my age. I was just 15-years-old at the time, the youngest recruit to get through basic training. I was also the one standing in front of 8 highly trained operatives and, I might add, also standing next to their boss.

"Who's the brat?" a woman with short blonde hair in purple armor rudely asked.

A man with the same colored hair and armor spoke in a calmer tone, "South, behave."

She shouts back, "I'm not some fucking dog ass-!"

"That's enough!" the Director announces.

It was the counselors turn to step up, "Everyone, this is Agent Washington...our newest recruit."

The group looked at each other in disbelief at the fact that someone my age made it past basic.

"Agent Washington," the counselor looks at me and I stand at attention, "Why don't you say hello."

"Sir!" I step forward and salute, "Agent Washington reporting for duty!"

"Kids a bit of a stiff," a man with brown hair chuckles.

"Let us make Agent Washington feel welcome here as much as possible," the counselor grinned.

"That is all for today," the Director announced, "Dismissed."

Most of the agents began to leave the room, but a few of them stayed behind. One of them was the man with brown hair in tan armor. The other was the blonde man in purple. Finally, there was a woman with long red hair and green eyes.

"So you're our newest recruit?" the blonde man asked.

"Yes sir," I respond.

"You can drop the 'sir yes sir' kid," the brown haired man responded

"Yes si-. I mean, sure."

"That's better," the man pointed at himself, "I'm New York, but I prefer just York."

"I'm North Dakota, but you can call me North."

The red haired woman looked at me for few moments, "Carolina."

I silently nod at each of their introductions as a greeting

York then patted me on the back, "Welcome to the team Wash."

* * *

**Present Day…**

I have never been good with...emotional things. I've always been a by the books kind of guy. I was never like York who was the most laid-back out of all of us back in the day. Yet today I had to make up for my behavior towards teams RWBY and JNPR. What if I mess this up? What if they'll hate me even more? What if somehow they'll find out my secret and we'll argue and fight and then somehow make-up and become closer as a team until-!?

Thankfully, Yang broke me out of my thoughts by giving my a reassuring pat on the back. Which hurt very much by the way.

"You ready for this?" she asks.

"Can't I just say I'm sorry and walk away?" I ask back.

"Nope," she says while making a popping sound, "Remember, you said you'll 'try' to open-up more."

"And I will...but I didn't think it had to be the next day."

Yang places a hand on my shoulder, lighter touch this time, "Look, just answer with what you're comfortable to say. I mean, it's not like you're going to reveal your life's story, right?"

She laughs while I let out a dry chuckle, "Yeah, right."

We made our way to the cafeteria where everyone was getting lunch. My targets, I mean teammates, were sitting at their usual table eating. Yang walks towards them first while I follow. Her sister Ruby notices us first.

"Morning Yang, where've you-?" she asks until she finds me standing behind Yang with my arms behind my back, "Oh."

The table seemed to fall silent when they saw me...again. I'm seriously not meant for this kind of thing.

"What is _he_ doing here?" Weiss huffed.

"I told you, they were having one of their 'secret rendezvous'~," Nora sung.

"Wait, what?" I ask, taken off-guard by that statement

The girl was about to explain until Yang covered her mouth, "Nothing! It's nothing."

I wanted to ask what was going on, but decided to ignore it.

"I-I...uh...erm," the group continued to stare at me, "I-I…I'm sorry."

Some of the team's eyes widened, or narrowed, at my apology, "I'm sorry that I acted pretty harsh yesterday. I'm just not very good with socializing and I can sometimes be…extra-careful around people."

"You mean paranoid," Jaune concluded.

"Extra-careful."

"Paranoid."

"_Extra_-careful."

"Paranoid."

"The point is-!" I yell, but immediately took a deep breath to calm down, "The point is, I'll try to be nicer around you guys."

I looked at Yang who gave me a thumbs up, but the others didn't seem that convinced.

Turning to "Plan B", I took out the platter of sweets I had behind my back, "Uuuhhh...I made cookies?"

As if in a nano-second, I felt my gut being tightly squeezed. I looked down and found Yang's sister with her eyes sparkling and little bits of drool coming from her mouth.

"Welcome to the team!" she cheered.

"Hooray for cookies!" Nora followed.

"Well now that's over with, why don't we introduce ourselves," Yang suggested.

"Me first!" Yang's sister said after she swallowed her third cookie, "Hello Washington I'm Ruby Rose, leader of team RWBY."

She's a team leader!? No way, she can only reach my chest!

"How…old are you?" I asked slightly curious.

"15," she answers with pride.

"Aren't you a bit young to be attending Beacon?" I asked.

Granted I was the same age when I became a Freelancer, but a team leader? At 15?

Ruby immediately crossed her arms, "Well how old are you mister-smarty-pants?"

"19."

She put on the smug grin that Yang usually has, "Aren't you a bit _old_ to be a first-year?"

"BURN!" Yang teased.

They're most definitely sisters.

I scowled at her remark until a girl in white stepped forward, "I'm-"

"Weiss Schnee," I interrupted her, "Daughter of the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company which has factories all over Remnant. You also used to perform as a singer at live concerts earning you praise and respect for your singing."

The heiress was looking at me wide eyed as I recognized her identity and also her background.

"How did you-?"

"I see your name a lot on the net," I explain.

The truth was that I remembered her from F.I.L.S.S.'s database of potential White Fang targets.

Ruby gasped, "Wow Weiss, I didn't know you were so famous!"

The girl just scoffed at her, "Well of course I'm famous. Honestly, you should have recognized me from my-"

"Your turns over, NEXT!" Yang cut her off earning a frown from the heiress.

The girl with jet black hair and a similarly colored bow was next, "Blake, Blake Belladonna."

She only glanced at me for a few seconds before returning to her book.

Looks like someone has some secrets, which means I have two people to be cautious around.

"And then there's me," Yang pointed at herself, "Yang Xiao Long, team RWBY's heavy hitter."

"Who also cares deeply about her hair and will bash anyone's face in if they even touch it," I quipped.

"And that is the most important thing to remember," Yang grinned.

Nora whispered a few words to the Asian man next her, but I could only make out the words "together-together". That better not mean what I think it does.

"I guess I'm next," Jaune said as he got up, "My names Jaune Arc. I'm the leader of team JNPR."

You have got to be fucking kidding me! I took this guy down in the first round of my initiation, and did he say his last name was Arc!? As in the famous family of warriors. This guy is related to _those_ Arcs. How the hell did he get into Beacon!?

Despite my little, mental...rant; I calmly shook Jaune's hand.

Next up was the Carolina-look-alike, "Hello Mr. Washington, I am Pyrrha Nikos."

She stuck her hand out, but I hesitantly looked at it.

Pyrrha Nikos. A possible cover. Then again, she is a bit young looking, but I should be careful around her.

Apparently I was taking a long time in deciding whether shake her hand or not.

"Is something the matter?" Pyrrha asked concerned.

"Huh. Oh, right," I realized and shook her hand, "Sorry, just thinking about something."

"Me next!," Nora shouted, "I'm Nora Valkyrie and this is my bestest-childhood-friend Ren. Hey, that rhymes!"

The Asian man corrected her, "It's Lie Ren."

"Good to know," I hesitantly replied while giving a crooked smile.

I guess it's my turn to introduce myself, "My name is Washington, but you can call me Wash."

Nora asked the same question from yesterday, "Is that your first name or your last name. _Gasp_ Or maybe that's not your real name."

I slightly clenched my fist, "It's...my last name."

"Then what's your first?"

I couldn't help but avert my gaze, "It's a...sensitive topic to talk about."

"But-!"

Ren put a hand on her shoulder, "Nora, if he doesn't want to talk about it, then we should respect his wishes.

I gave him a thankful smile as he also returned the gesture. At least someone knows some decent manners.

Ruby tried to change the topic, "Professor Ozpin mentioned that you were our support. What does that mean exactly?"

"My job is to act as your backup whenever one of you is incapacitated or be an additional teammate on missions," I answer, "I'm also, well...I guess you could say I'm also your counselor."

"Wait, like a shrink?" Yang whined, "Oh man, this is going to be like anger management classes all over again."

"_You're_ our counselor," Weiss scoffed in disbelief, "What credentials do you have?"

My eyebrow twitched at that remark, stinkin rich people.

"Experience for that matter," I answered, "Pro-...My old school sent me on missions before any of you attended Beacon."

It was partially the truth, there were some combat schools that already sent their students on missions. Beacon does it too, but the school makes sure that the mission isn't too risky for the students. Except I fought against the White Fang, and the Grimm on a few occasions.

"I think he's got you there Weiss," Ruby added causing the girl to roll your eyes.

"So if we're experiencing any problems, you come in to help us?" Jaune asked.

"To the best of my ability, but yeah."

The others seemed fine with my role and allowed me to sit with them. They talked about things most teenagers talk about. What's happening on campus, latest trends, and anything else that I showed little to no interest in. I jumped into the conversation a couple of times, but only to voice my opinion. Eventually the day went by like any other as I finally returned to my room. After doing a quick scan of the area for any danger, I took out my magnum from under my pillow and began to disassemble it. While cleaning the firing mechanism, Epsilon formed on my desk.

"_So, what do you think of your new teammates?_" he asked.

"It's too early to say my opinion," I answered almost robotically.

"_Come on man, you know how agonizing it is to stay quiet all day?_"

"Saying one word in my head will feel like sticking a needle through my brain."

"_You don't know that._"

I glared at the A.I. at his response.

"_Right, sorry,_" Epsilon raised his hands in mock surrender, "_I forgot._"

"And you're supposed to be the memory fragment," I smirked.

"_What's this,_" Epsilon fake gasped, "_Did Agent Washington just smile._"

My face immediately returned to it's usual frown.

"_Man I wish I had my camera,_" the A.I. quipped, "_But seriously, what do you think?_"

I put down the pieces of my magnum and lean back in my chair. I mean, I was just introduced to everyone today. I only knew little bits about my "teammates", well, besides Yang. Her I've spent the most time with since I got here.

I gathered what facts I could from my memories, "As I said before, it's still too early for my opinion. However, Ozpin wasn't lying about these kids being special. Jaune is probably the weakest of group, how he got into Beacon much less become a leader is a complete mystery. Pyrrha seems like a reliable person, but I can't help but feel uneasy around her due to her resemblance to Carolina. Nora is probably the strongest on her team, but her strength is equal to her enthusiasm and hyper activeness. Ren is the most logic-based on his team and only speaks when spoken too.

"_What about team RWBY?_"

After a long sigh, "Ruby shows promise as a huntress. Her weapon expertise and skill in combat are commendable. However, she is still young which makes her naive to the big picture of things. Weiss should work on her attitude or else it will have a negative effect on her team. Blake is probably the quietest of both teams, always keeping her nose in a book. She is obviously trying to hide something. And Yang…"

Epsilon noticed I was taken some time with my answer, "_What about her?_"

"Yang is the most social one of both teams, but lives up to her reputation as a 'heavy hitter'. Her temper, as well as her strength, is unpredictable which makes her a wild-card in combat situations. All of this is substantial and requires further interaction and study."

The A.I. stared at me for a few moments as it processed my answers.

A few seconds passed until he said, "_You have no idea how to socialize, don't you?_"

"That's...not the response I was expecting."

He raised his pointer finger, "_One, what was with that explanation? I asked what you thought of your teammates so far and you responded like you were doing a goddamn journal entry,_" he raised a second finger, "_Two, you talk like a fucking robot. I'm an A.I. fragment and _I _express more emotion than you,_" finally he raised a third, "_And three, your team is mainly composed of girls. Tell me you're not the least bit excited?_"

"Why would you care?"

"_I don't, but...come on…you don't feel anything?_"

"If you are asking if I'm seeking a relationship with one of them then my answer is 'no'," I reply irritated while putting the magnum back together.

"_There you go again, talking like a robot._"

"I'm going to bed," I said, wanting to escape this conversation.

"_Fine,_" Epsilon admitted, "_But you're going to have to deal with this sooner or later._"

I didn't reply as I got ready for bed and covered myself with a sheet. Epsilon eventually logged himself off while I tried to get some sleep.

* * *

**Author's Note: I realized after posting this chapter that this doesn't seem to make sense with the storyline and Washington's character changed too quickly. I'm making changes to the next chapter so that it can make sense more. That also means I will be taking down this chapter at a later date. For those of you who may be unhappy with this, I apologize. If you think that this is unnecessary, let me know in a review.**

**GaryOkampo logging off!**


	6. No One Can Do It Alone

**Author's Note: This chapter is different. As I mentioned before, chapter 5 was a bit of a mistake and I'm considering taking it down. If you didn't like the last chapter or you were okay with it, how you feel about this chapter is up to you.**

* * *

**Many Years Ago….**

We were conducting a raid on White Fang base. Carolina and the others were keeping the White fang occupied while York and I were on lock duty, trying to get inside.

"York, how's it going on our entrance?" Carolina asks over the comms.

"Great, I was nearly blown up a minute ago and now I'm paired with the squad's second worst fighter," York said sarcastically, "All things considered, I think everything's peachy."

"Just get it done! Carolina out," she replied clearly annoyed.

"You really think I'm the second worst fighter?" I asked York.

"No I was being nice," he answered, "You're easily the worst."

As if on cue, York was sucker punched on the back of the head and was sent flying.

"You were saying?" I asked jokingly.

I look next to me and found a sleeveless White Fang with a muscular build and bull horns on his head. The two of us look at each other for few good seconds.

All I could say until I received my punch to the face was, "Wuh oh."

* * *

**Present Day….**

It's has already been a week since I joined teams RWBY and JNPR. Despite promising them that I would change, it has been a slow and uneasy process. I could tell that some, mostly Weiss and Blake, didn't fully trust me. I've also been keeping my distance from Pyrrha, her resemblance to my CO back then brings up too many memories. Jaune believed that I secretly hated her, but I told him it was nothing like that. I couldn't really explain it, I just feel...uneasy around her. Despite that, I've learned a few things from my new...teammates. Still not used to that.

Ruby's fascination with weapons and social awkwardness make her an unconventional choice for a leader, but she is learning. However, because she's so young she believes that everything works out like some fairy tale. Her psyche will probably be the most fragile. Weiss, her partner, acts like any other person born in the upper classes. Spoiled, obnoxious, and overconfident. She does show promise with her expertise in Dust, she just has to work on her attitude. For Blake I expected her to be a quiet and a bit anti-social. She actually enjoys spending time with her team and I can sometimes see her smiling. However, my theory of her keeping a secret still stands. Yang is very social and outgoing, always heading into town on the weekends. Her "fun time" seems to coincide with a lot of destroyed bars in the news lately. Somebody, hopefully her partner, needs to teach her some self-control. Nora is...enthusiastic during any activity as well as being the most destructive. She's always in her own little world and it seems the only person that she lets in is her childhood friend Ren. Where Nora is loud and hyperactive, Ren is her exact opposite. Always calm and quiet and most importantly, patient. I don't think there is any other person on the planet who can handle a girl like her. Also, despite my insecurities around Pyrrha, she is probably one of the best fighters in the group. I'm surprised that she wasn't chosen as team JNPR's leader. And then there's Jaune...

Jaune. What can I say about him that doesn't sound offensive?

...He's a terrible fighter.

Ozpin gave me the footage from their initiation to better understand their tactics. Even though Jaune may excel in his analytic skills, he is still lacking in physical _and_ academic qualities. Just today in Goodwitch's class, he lost to Cardin Winchester, the "school bully". The man has been targeting Jaune since day one because of his weak stature. If it were me, I would have shot Cardin in the foot already. Yet Jaune says that there's nothing to worry about. Even right now in the cafeteria, he keeps on telling us that everything's "cool".

"Who? Cardin Winchester? Nah, he just likes to mess around. You know, practical jokes."

"He's a bully," Ruby corrected him.

"Come on guys, name one time he's 'bullied' me," Jaune denies again putting emphasis and air quotes on "bullied".

It was my turn, "He slaps your books out of your hands when you pass each other, he activated your shield when you entered a room causing you to get stuck in the doorway, and on Monday he pushed you into a rocket propelled locker and launched it while you were still inside."

"I didn't land far from the school."

"You landed in the thickest part of the Emerald Forest."

"How would you know that?" Jaune asked, doubting my answer.

"Because I was the one who had to go in there and get you," I groan, "Remember, I had to kill a herd of Boarbatusk that you were running away from."

* * *

**Flashback….**

_Jaune and Washington were hiding behind some trees as they watched a herd of Boarbatusk try to sniff them out._

"_What are we going to do?" Jaune asked in a panic._

_The Ex-Freelancer took out two spike grenades, "We're gonna use these to take out most of the group and use the explosion as cover to escape."_

_Washington handed Jaune one of the spike grenades as they both prepared to throw them._

"_On three. 1…2…3!"_

_The Ex-Freelancer's grenade impaled itself on to the skull of one of the Grimm. Jaune's, however, landed on the tree directly in front of him._

"_That. Was the worst throw ever. Of all time," Wash said amazed as well as annoyed._

_The young knight sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, "Uhhh…someone put a tree in my way?"_

_Washington quickly dragged Jaune away from the blast radius as both grenades went off. They sprinted towards the safety of the academy with Washington shaking his head in disbelief that this guy was _somehow _able to make it into Beacon._

* * *

**Present Day…..**

"You were lucky my grenade killed all of them before _we_ were blown to bits too," I stated bluntly with a hint of annoyance.

I felt a nudge on my arm and saw it was from Yang who was giving a look that was basically saying "you're-not-helping".

After a quick glare from Pyrrha, she tried to reassure her partner, "Jaune you know if you ever need help you can just ask."

Nora quickly got up with an evil grin forming on her face, "Oh I know! We'll break his legs!"

Jaune lifts up his tray, "Guys, really it's fine. Besides, it's not like he's a jerk to me. He's a jerk to everyone."

We then heard a scream across from us and saw Cardin and his team harassing a Faunus girl. The girl asked them to stop, but Cardin laughed as he kept on pulling her ear. He eventually let go and the girl ran off crying while massaging the very same appendage.

"Atrocious," Pyrrha said gritting her teeth, "I can't stand people like him."

"He's not the only one," Blake mumbled.

Yang followed, "It must be hard being a Faunus."

I just sat there silently…..reminiscing. During my time with Project Freelancer I met a lot of Faunus, both White Fang and civilian. I didn't become a cold-hearted racist like the other agents or like Cardin, but sometimes, it became hard to tell the difference between the two.

As the evening neared I was in my room doing homework assignments at my desk which I moved away from the window and next to my bed, giving me quick access to my Magnum.

Epsilon formed next to me, "_Don't you think we should do something about Cardin?_"

"Jaune is here to be a huntsman. He has to handle this on his own," I reply.

"_You're still mad about the grenade-thing, aren't you?_" the A.I. jokingly asks.

I remain silent as I continue writing an essay on how to quickly kill different types of Grimm.

Epsilon pointed out, "_You know, Ozpin said it was your job to help these guys._"

"I give them guidance," I clarified, "Not solve their problems."

"_Is there a difference?,_" he said irritated, "_Besides, this guy reminds me too much of South._"

"How would you know?" I ask, "You never met her."

"_I'm in your head dude, I know that she was a total bitch to you back then._"

"And I endured."

"You-."

We were then interrupted when we heard voices on the roof above us.

One voice said, "Jaune I know you're having a difficult time in class, and that you're still not the strongest of fighters so….I wanna help you."

"Pyrrha?" I thought.

Jaune replied, "What?"

Pyrrha explained, "We can train here after class where no one can bother us."

"You...think I need help?" Jaune asked, his voice depressed.

Pyrrha tried to explain that she wasn't doing out of pity and tried to reassure him. He made it into Beacon so that means he has some skill. Though from my perspective, he had little to none. Eventually the conversation got heated and Jaune let it slip that he wasn't really accepted. He revealed that he used fake transcripts and lied his way into Beacon. I was shocked to find this out and apparently so was Pyrrha. He then started shouting and said that he wanted to handle this alone. She eventually understood and reluctantly walked off. As soon as she left we heard Cardin's voice as he approached Jaune. He was blackmailing him into doing whatever he wanted or risk his secret coming out. With nowhere to go, Jaune had to agree to his terms. The two eventually left the roof and we were left speechless.

Epsilon soon broke the silence, "_Well that's great. First we find out Jaune's a liar and stubborn. Now Cardin's got a leash on him. To make things worse, we have that douche as our neighbor,_" he then looks to me, "_So...what do we do?_"

I look at him and return to my work, "We do nothing."

"What?" Epsilon said shocked.

"_Jaune made his choice. Now he has to deal with the consequences,_" I explain stoically.

"_You can't be serious?_"

"I am," I answer still doing my homework.

"_But-!_"

"Log off," I commanded and it did.

* * *

The next few days, Jaune kept his distance like he promised only this time he stayed with Team CRDL. Ruby and the others tried to get him to explain but pushed us all away. Everyone was wondering what was wrong with their friend, only Pyrrha and I knew the reason why.

I was in Professor Port's class and I could see Jaune was in the front row frantically taking notes for five people.

"_I can't take this anymore we have to talk,_" Epsilon said in my head.

Can we talk later, maybe somewhere NOT in public.

"_NO!_" he shouts, "_It has to be now Wash!_"

I cringed at the A.I.'s outburst. Talking to a digital figure in person was easy, but when it's in your head shouting, it feels like there's a jackhammer trying to rearrange your skull. I raise my hand asking the professor to excuse myself. As I walk through the empty hallways, Epsilon formed in front of me.

"What is it?" I ask annoyed.

"_We have to help Jaune,_" he said.

"He made his choice. He just has to endure and get stronger, that's all."

"_Pardon me for saying this, but that's BULLSHIT!_" he shouts.

I immediately stop and shush him, "Quiet down do you want the whole school to hear you."

He calms down, "_Look, remember the time when South picked on you every time you guys failed a mission?_"

How could I not. Every time we failed South would somehow shift the blame on me saying I was either too slow or I was a terrible soldier. The Director did nothing and I faced her verbal abuse at HQ and her physical abuse on the training floor. I wanted to handle it on my own so I trained to become stronger so that she would stop.

"Like I said before I endured it alone and got stronger."

"_Now that's where you were wrong Wash._"

My eyes slightly widen, "What do you mean?"

"_You may have thought you got stronger all on your own, but that wasn't the case. You had your teammates, your friends, backing you up. Don't you remember that time?_"

That's when it hit me, when I was getting pummeled by South on the training floor after a botched mission. I remember that each of her punches was like getting struck with a baseball-bat. I tried to hold back my tears and tolerate the pain. Even after the buzzer went off she still kept on hitting me. That's when Carolina, York, and North stepped in. Carolina kicked South so hard I swore she flew across the room. York used his healing unit to help me with my wounds. North did his usual routine, trying to keep his sister in check.

"Yeah I remember," was all I could say.

Epsilon continued, "_After that Carolina tried to help you improve, York kept your spirits up, even North tried to help by keeping his sister off your back. You tried pushing them away to show that you could handle yourself, but deep down you needed help and they were happy to do so. Because those three cared for you, not out of pity, but because you were their teammate. What Jaune is doing now is just like you were, keeping out his friends and this time they're keeping their distance _and _what you're doing now is just standing on the sidelines waiting for someone to scream for help when they can't even speak. Ozpin said it was your job to help these guys through the tough times because we know how to deal with them._"

We stare intensely at each other and he finally asks, "_So….are you still keeping your distance?_"

I snicker a little, "You know you give pretty good speeches."

"_Meh. I have a good memory,_" he sgrugs.

It was lunch time and everyone, except Jaune, was sitting at our usual table. He was busy gathering CRDL's lunches like a good errand boy. After passing them out he sat next to Cardin and begun to curl himself inward at their snickers. I took that as my cue to get up and walked to their table.

"Jaune, we have to talk," I announced.

He looks at me nervously and stutters, "I-I uh-."

"If you want to talk to Jauney-boy then you can say it in front of us," Cardin interrupted motioning his arm towards his team.

"Sorry, but this is between fellow huntsman and I'm pretty sure you don't qualify," I quipped.

Cardin shot up, "Why you-!"

I quickly grab his arm, twist it behind his back, grab his head, and smash it into his mashed potatoes. Cardin's teammates jumped out of their seats, trying to save their leader who was struggling for air.

"Come any closer and he suffocates," I threatened, "If you do, I'll make sure you get worse than him," I then look towards Jaune, "And _you_ are coming with me."

The others get the message and sit back down as I release Cardin who gasped for air while his face was covered in white starch. I dragged Jaune by his arm while the others looked at us, wondering what was going on. We eventually made it to a deserted hallway and Jaune struggled out of my grasp.

"Look I already told Pyrrha! I don't need any help!" he yells.

"You do Jaune and I know exactly what you're going through," I reply calmly.

He looks at me angrily, "How would you know!? You beat Nora, Ruby, and Yang. You're not weak like I am!"

I shout back, "I do know! I know because-!" I stop and let out a breath, "Because I know how it feels to be the weakest in a group of amazing people."

Jaune looks at me still not convinced.

"At my old school, I was weakest of my team and slowed everyone down. Whenever we failed an assignment one of them let out their frustrations on me."

His eyes began to widen

"Like you I kept everyone out and endured the pain hoping to overcome it alone so I could prove I was tough like them. But in the end my friends kept pestering me to let them train me. I told them no at first, but eventually took their advice. Their training and support helped me gain the skills I have today. If I was stubborn like you are now, then I wouldn't be here," I put my hand on his shoulder, "Having your friends coming to your side doesn't mean you're weak. It just means they're willing to help you, but if you shut them out you're going to be alone. Here, and on the battlefield."

Jaune looks at me for a while, but then pushes my arm away and walks off. I stood there silently, hoping that he got the message.


	7. Forever Fall,Then Rise

**Author's note: Logging On**

**GaryOkampo here and I bring another chapter to the "F to H" story.**

* * *

**Many years ago…**

There is this famous saying: a craftsman never blames his tools. Can a soldier blame his rifle for missing his target? I wanted too. Frustration is inevitable when you've been at a firing range since six in the morning shooting at paper targets. For hours my shots have only punctured the outer areas of the human shaped target. Most people would be happy that they at least hit something, but a Freelancer must always make accurate shots.

"Here, try this."

I looked towards the voice and found Carolina with a battle rifle.

"I can handle it myself," I grunted.

"Clearly," she smirked.

"Don't you have some holographic targets to punch?"

"You may be a kid Wash," Carolina snickered, "But that doesn't give you the excuse to act like one."

"Like I said, I can handle it," I answer again while aiming downrange, "Besides, you don't need any help on missions."

"True," she smirked, "But that is only because I'm well...me. You're not."

"And?" I reply still unconvinced.

"Look, just stop being so thick-headed and take the damn rifle," she jokingly commands.

I look at her for a few good seconds and then at the rifle. Eventually I took it in my hands and aimed downrange. With a little twitch of the finger I was able to hit around the center.

"I did it. I actually did it!" I cheered.

"Great job Wash," she said sarcastically, "Now you just have to repeat that thirty times with one clip."

"Yeah...wait, what?"

* * *

**Present Day…**

It was the day after my talk with Jaune and we were on a field trip to the Forever Falls, a forest where the leaves and ground were crimson red. To most people it was a beautiful tourist spot. For me it was the perfect area to commit an ambush because the terrain provided too many areas to hide. Potential attacks aside, we weren't here to sight see. Ms. Goodwitch was assigned to watch over us for Ms. Peach's Botany class. We were told that each of us had to gather a jarful of sap from the trees as well as to be vigilant of any Grimm in the area. Jaune was still team CRDL's lapdog as he carried the gear they needed to extract the sap. We all went our separate ways except Pyrrha, who looked at Jaune with both disappointment and worry before she turned away.

* * *

**Jaune POV**

How did I get here? All I wanted was to live up to my family's legacy and look where it got me. I'm being blackmailed into slavery and my fellow teammates are nowhere to be seen. No, that part was my fault. They all tried to help me; Pyrrha, Ruby, even Wash and all I did was turn them away. Now, I'm gathering tree sap for a bunch of jerks.

After finally completing my task I carried the sap towards CRDL, eventually collapsing onto the ground from exhaustion.

"Great work Jauney-Boy. That wasn't too hard was it?" Cardin said while he and his team relaxed against some trees.

All I could say with my nose clogged was, "I think I'm allergic to this stuff."

He obviously ignored me, "Great, great, great. Now Jauney-Boy I bet you're asking yourself, 'Why did my buddy Cardin have me collect seven jars of tree sap when there's only five of us?'"

"That is one of the many questions I have asked myself today."

"Well, come with me and you'll find out," he said with a sadistic grin.

"Oh no."

We end up at a ridge overlooking a group of students. As we got closer I saw it was my friends. They were all gathering tree sap like they were supposed to, but didn't notice us.

"Cardin, what's going on?" I asked worried.

He grimly said, "Payback."

I looked at my friends, particularly Pyrrha.

Cardin explained, "That's them, the redhead-know-it-all and the dork-who-thinks-he's-tough," he reached behind him and produced the box of rapier wasps I gathered for him last night, "All right boys, last night old Jaune here managed to round an entire box full of rapier wasps and now we're gonna put em to work."

I did NOT like where this was going.

"Now according to one of the essays you wrote for me a while back, these nasty things _love_ sweets. I think it's time we teach the two of _them_ what it means to mess with us."

We all get up and he hands me two jars, "And you're gonna do it."

"Do what?" I hesitantly ask.

"Hit them with the sap," he says pointing at them, "Either that and I'll report to Goodwitch and you'll be on the first airship out of Beacon."

I look at the two jars in my hands and hesitantly get ready to launch them. I looked at Pyrrha and Wash as the two didn't realize I was going to throw it at them. As I stood there I kept asking myself. Why? I already knew the answer: to stay in Beacon, become a hero like my ancestors, live up to my family name. Now look where it's gotten me. I'm about to stab those who tried to help me in the back. Wash, he explained how sometimes you can't do things alone. Ruby, she showed me I can't be selfish anymore because I'm a leader now. Pyrrha...all she did was try to help me, like any partner would, and I flat out turned her down due to my pride and so called "honor". Was I really going to do this to the only friends I had?

I grit my teeth and said, "No."

As I lowered the jar Cardin asked, "What did you say?"

I tightened my grip and shouted, "I said, NO!"

I threw it at him, but he dodged it and it shattered on a nearby tree. They all looked at me with anger and anticipation in their eyes, obviously ready for a beat-down.

Cardin laughed, "You've really done it now."

My shoulders were grabbed and I prepared to say goodbye to my life.

* * *

**Washington POV**

We were gathering our tree sap, but as Pyrrha gathered hers I could tell she was thinking about a certain blonde knight. She hid it under fake smiles, but I could clearly see someone who was worried for her partner.

"You worried about Jaune?" I ask.

She frowned and responded coldly, "Our fearless leader knows exactly what he's doing."

"You can't blame him. He just feels….inadequate."

"What do you mean 'inadequate'!?" Pyrrha asks in disbelief, "We're his teammates, we accept him for who he is."

"Not how he see's it," I explain, "When a guy like Jaune is not only in the presence of amazing people, but was also chosen to lead them. He starts to question whether he's up to the task. I've seen it before."

"What-?"

She was then interrupted by a loud roar.

* * *

**Jaune POV**

I could hear the insults as team CRDL continuously beat me to a pulp, but I didn't care. If I was going to kiss my future and my life goodbye at least I knew I didn't betray my team, my friends. Plus I get to deny Cardin the satisfaction of seeing me cower in fear of him. He was about to deliver another punch and I grit my teeth. As he struck me we were enveloped in some white light. Cardin grabbed his hand in pain as I looked at my own and saw them…glowing? Was this my Aura? I couldn't really think about it when we suddenly heard a loud noise and that's when we saw it. An Ursa Major. As it approached us everyone started backing away. I suddenly felt a sticky substance being poured on my head and saw it was the tree sap from the jar. Cardin kicked me towards the Grimm while they ran off.

All he said as he laughed was, "Thanks for keeping it busy Jauney-Boy."

I get up while the Ursa got on it's hind legs and sniffs the air. It notices me and the smell of the sap. Apparently putting two and two together, it releases a roar that would tear your eardrums apart. If this was karma at work, then this is some serious overkill.

* * *

**Washington POV**

We were all wondering where the sound came from until we saw team CRDL running for their lives. That's when I quickly grabbed Cardin by his chest-plate.

"What's happening!?" I asked him.

"Ursa man, we gotta get outta here!" Russel said in a panic.

Pyrrha looked over the group, "Wait! Where's Jaune?"

"Who cares," Cardin scoffs, "Lets just focus on running."

She quickly grabs him from me and throws him towards a tree as she quickly aims her spear at his throat.

"Where. Is he?" she threatened, her eyes filled with rage.

He grunts, "Why should I?"

Cardin signals his buddies to come help him, but before they could move they were met with everyone's weapon aimed at them. Yang made sure her gauntlets were pointed at their…important areas, Blake gave a rarely seen smile as she aimed her pistol at Dove's head, Ren aimed his pistols at Russel and Sky while Nora just took out her hammer and started laughing psychotically.

"_Now_ can we break their legs!?" Nora asked with terrifying glee.

"I think that's a good reason why," I said while pointing my gun at Cardin's head.

Cold sweat formed on his face and he finally told us where they left Jaune. Ruby instructed the others to get Professor Goodwitch while she, Pyrrha, Weiss, and I went to help Jaune. As we ran through the forest we were all hoping that he was alright.

When we arrived at the scene, what we saw made our jaws drop. Jaune was fighting off an Ursa Major on his own. Despite the number of times he was knocked down he continued to fight. Weiss was about to intervene, but Pyrrha stopped her, wanting to see how this would turn out. Jaune slashed and stabbed the Grimm but his attacks didn't seem to bother it. After being swatted away by the beast, Jaune got into an attack stance and the two charged towards one another. Time seemed to slow down as their attacks drew closer. It was at that moment when I saw Pyrrha's hand turn black as she pointed it towards Jaune. His shield was enveloped with a black outline as it moved towards the Ursa's slashing arm. It's attack skidded against the metallic surface giving Jaune the chance to plant his foot and give an upward slash, decapitating the Grimm. Was that the power of a semblance? In any case, Pyrrha may have helped but this was Jaune's victory. He seemed to be proud of his work as well as he victoriously sheathed his sword. We eventually got to him and noticed he smelled like tree sap.

"Jaune, that was awesome!" Ruby cheered.

"You were completely uncoordinated," Weiss huffed, "But at least you won in the end."

"T-Thanks guys," Jaune rasped before collapsing.

The girls were about to catch him, but I got to him first. For a guy who just took down an Ursa Major, he was surprisingly light.

We eventually laid him near a tree where I placed my healing unit next to him.

"What's that?" Ruby asked.

"It's healing unit," I answered, "It'll help accelerate the healing process of Jaune's wounds."

Weiss scoffed, "Can't you just let his Aura handle it rather than rely on that piece of junk?"

"This 'piece of junk' has saved my life and more lives than you can count," I harshly replied.

"How-!?"

"Enough!" Pyrrha shouted, "He's waking up."

Just as Pyrrha said, Jaune's wounds were already healed. Hmph, I'd like to see if Aura can do that?

He groggily opened his eyes and took in his surroundings.

"I think I must have died," Jaune smirked, "Otherwise why would I be surrounded by three beautiful angels."

Weiss rolled her eyes at his latest flirting attempt while Ruby let out a small giggle, happy that her friend was his old-self. Pyrrha was smiling, but I could tell she was trying to suppress the small blush on her face.

Oh, please.

"You're very much alive Jaune. But if you want a one-way trip to heaven," I cocked my magnum, "I can arrange that."

He quickly shot-up, "I'm okay."

Weiss then crossed her arms as she glared at the blonde night, "Care to explain why team CRDL left you to die and why have you have been avoiding us for the past few days?"

Pyrrha stepped forward, "Weiss!"

Jaune quickly got in between them, "It's okay, I have to explain."

It was there that he told everything, from Cardin's blackmailing to what he planned to do to them along with admitting how he faked his way into Beacon. Ruby and Weiss were shocked by the news, Pyrrha and I already knew so we didn't react much.

"I'm going to tell Professor Ozpin and Goodwitch the truth and pack my things," Jaune concluded.

Ruby protested, "Jaune, you can't!"

"I've made my decision."

It looks like Jaune is serious about this.

With reluctance, despite Ruby and Pyrrha's protests, Jaune stood by his decision and we regrouped with the others. We met up with the rest of class, however Cardin was able to get to Professor Goodwitch and revealed Jaune's secret. Everyone quickly came to his defense, except Weiss, she just stood in the background. Despite his friends support, Jaune said that he was ready for his punishment. Surprisingly Professor Goodwitch said that there was no need, because she and Professor Ozpin already knew about his transcripts. They were planning to expel him until they saw his leadership skills during the initiation and Ozpin decided to give him a chance. Team CRDL's smug grins turned to ones of shock and then into fear as Professor Goodwitch glared at them, displeased with how they left Jaune to die as well as blackmailing him.

"However, I cannot punish them unless someone is willing to testify that these allegations are true," she explained in a professional manner.

I quickly step up, "I can."

Everyone then looked at me.

"Jaune and Pyrrha were talking on the roof which I heard from my room below. After she left, Cardin appeared and did as the others explained which I also heard as well," I explained in a military manor….old habit.

Professor Goodwitch accepted my testimony and gave team CRDL two weeks suspension and another week's worth of detention. The others cheered in victory while the bullies groaned and we all headed back to Beacon.

* * *

**Third-Person POV**

Cardin sulked behind the group of students, but little did they know, he was scheming. He wanted revenge towards Jaune, Pyrrha, JNPR, RWBY, and most importantly that Wash guy. Had so many ideas in his head, Cardin was inwardly smiling knowing that he and his team were going to make sure they were going to make their lives hell. The hunter-in-training was going to tell his teammates, but his lips wouldn't move. He tried again and nothing happened. Before the bully tried to call for help he was dragged into a nearby bush. He could feel some unknown force tightening against his throat, but he saw nothing in front him. His back was slammed against a tree as he let out a suppressed grunt.

"Cardin Winchester, member of the once honorable Winchester bloodline," a menacing voice announced, "Your family knew the importance of honor, but it seems you don't even know the definition of the word."

Cardin felt the hand around his neck tighten as the figure began to form in front him. He couldn't tell what gender the stranger was because the person wore all black armor with a golden-yellow visor. The bully could see his reflection and saw the fear in his eyes as he tried to fight for air.

The stranger leaned into Cardin's face to the point where his nose was almost touching the visor, "You better start cleaning up your act."

The hunter was about to grunt, "Or else what?"

But, he couldn't get the words as he quickly felt his...private areas being crushed.

"Or else I'll come back and do a little 'gender-reassignment'," the stranger sadistically smirked under it's helmet, "We clear."

Cardin rapidly nodded his head, unable to handle the pain in his throat, and to his boys.

"Good," and the stranger dropped him.

The bully scrambled to his feet to rejoin the group, knowing much worse awaited him if he didn't change for the better.

When Cardin was out of sight, the stranger was about to walk off, but not until _she_ took a quick glance at the crowd of students. Her eyes fell onto a certain Ex-Freelancer as he conversed with a girl with long blonde hair.

The stranger's voice returned to it's usual tone and inwardly smiled, "Looks like I found you first."

With that, Agent Texas walked deep into the forest and re-cloaked.

* * *

**Washington POV**

That night Jaune apologized to Pyrrha and asked if she could train him. The two made up and I, of course, heard the whole thing.

"_I think we did a pretty good job,_" Epsilon said as he formed on my desk.

"We?" I jokingly asks.

"_Yeah, you told Jaune to get over his ego while I motivated you to get off your lazy ass._"

I guess he was right. I wasn't just their counselor, I was their teammate. Friend? I'm not so sure about that. It's still too early to tell if they're trustworthy and I doubt I'll let them know of my past. But still, it felt...nice to do something actually good for once. Sure it wasn't saving a village, but it was something. Still, this doesn't make-up for the things I've done and there is no doubt that Project Freelancer is still looking for me. I just hope it won't be happen anytime soon.

* * *

**Author's note: And the plot thickens! Agent Texas is alive and it seems she has been looking for Washington. How much longer can Wash keep his secret? And how many more Freelancers are out there? Find out soon in the next chapter of...**

**FREELANCER TO HUNTER!**

**Delta: Thank you for reading; and do not forget to favorite, follow, and/or review.**

**DELTA!? Get out of here man, you're not supposed to be here yet!**

**Delta: My apologies Mr. Okampo**

**It's GaryOkampo!**

**Epsilon: How come I don't get to talk during the daytime!? I'm like the star of this story! I demand a bigger role!**

**Both of you get out of my computer!**

**Epsilon: Make me!**

**Delta: Please, let us try to find a logical and peaceful way to end this.**

**That's enough you two.**

_***SIGH***_

**This is GaryOkampo, logging off.**

**Epsilon: WAIT! I've got some good scenes that show how much of a badass I am!**

**No.**

**Epsilon: Come on!**

**NO!**

**Epsilon: You son of a-!**

**[CONNECTION TERMINATED]**


	8. We're Both Strays

**Author's Note: [CONNECTION ESTABLISHED]**

**GaryOkampo logging on...**

**Sorry about not meeting my weekly quota. I'm starting to run low on the creative juices. **

**That and I just attended Anime Expo 2014.**

** Hopefully that will change when RWBY volume 2 premieres this month. So don't panic if I haven't updated for a few weeks, that either means I'm working on new chapters or I'm really REALLY busy.  
**

**Besides, I am so PUMPED for Volume 2! Watch the trailer and be prepared for the awesomeness!**

**Delta: "Awesomeness" is not an actual word.**

**It is to me, and what did I say about being in my computer!**

**Epsilon: You better make me look like a bad ass.**

**GET. OUT!**

* * *

**Many Years Ago…..**

Failing a mission would make any person blame themselves. My partner, Agent Connecticut, was no exception. I walked through the hallways of the _Mother of Invention_ and eventually found her sulking on a bench in the locker room. She's been acting different recently, questioning orders, doubting the Project, and even showing distrust towards the Director. Connie has also been pretty harsh towards us, not even choosing to interact with the other Freelancers.

"You okay?" I asked calmly.

"No Wash I'm not!" she shouted, "I mean we just burned down an entire village."

"There were White Fang members spotted in the area," I explained.

"So we had to destroy people's homes!?"

I put my hand on her shoulder, "Connie you know the White Fang has had growing support over the years. The whole village would have denied it all. Maybe even helped them."

"That still doesn't excuse what we did."

"The Director gave us an order-"

She shook off my hand, "The Director!? What kind of director has his men attack innocent people? Don't you see? We're not soldiers, we're nothing but a bunch of thugs."

Connie then motioned to the holographic leader-boards in the briefing room, "And now with these-these rankings, it's become one big competitive tournament. They are drawing a line between us, Wash," she lowers her head in disappointment, "And it's getting pretty obvious which side I'm on."

"Come on Connie, the Director has done so much for us."

"Really!?" she shouts back, "Wake the fuck up Wash! This is a selection process. I don't know for what, but if you're not at the top of the list then you are nothing to him."

I try my best to calm her down, "You're just overreacting, you've always been hard on yourself."

Connie couldn't take it anymore and just walked off, "You put too much trust in others Wash," she turned her head with her back still towards me, "Also, don't call me Connie. It makes me sound like a damn kid," she then exits the locker room, "Call me CT."

* * *

**Present Day…..**

Rapid tapping awoke me from my well deserved rest from the week. After the incident at the Forever Fall, I had to type-up a report to Professor Ozpin. The week after has been non-stop homework assignments. I had to do essays for Oobleck, reports on the strongest of Grimm for Port, and finally, I had to memorize _all_ types of Dust and Aura control in Goodwitch's class. I don't even use Dust, much less use Aura!

No one needs to know the last one.

The knocking on my door continued to give me a headache, so I quickly put on my sunglasses and ball cap and charged towards the noise. After ripping the door open, I was met by a surprised team RWBY looking at me and my steel gray shirt-and-sweats.

"What do you want?" I grumbled.

"Well good morning to you too," Weiss sarcastically greeted.

I glared at her under my sunglasses when I noticed Yang looking at me strangely.

"What?"

"Do you ever take off your hat and glasses?" she asks.

"Do you ever cut your hair?" I sarcastically ask back.

"What's on my head and what's on your face are two different things."

"Do you really wanna start a debate about this?"

"Woah buddy, let's not get _a head_ of ourselves," she quipped.

Yang's teammates, including her sister, groaned at another one of her puns.

"For Dust's sake Yang," Weiss groaned, "Are you going to ask him or not?"

"Ask me what?"

"We were wondering if you wanted to go check out the Vytal Festival with us?" Ruby asked.

"_Yes,_" Epsilon mentally answered.

No.

"_Come on man, we haven't explored the town since that one time we got your gear,_" the A.I. whined.

I said no!

"You debating you're options there Wash?" Yang jokingly asks.

"As a matter of fact, yes," I answered, "Why not ask Jaune's team to go with you?"

"They said they can't make it," Ruby answered back.

Great, so much for dumping this on JNPR. If we go into town, then there is a chance I'll be spotted.

"_By who? The Freelancers? Come on Wash, the Project may have some connections but it's not like they've got agents across the globe._"

Which is why we can't risk anyone recognizing us. Mainly me.

"_Wash, you've been working non-stop since day one,_" Epsilon calmly stated, "_Everyone needs a break once in a while._"

...You just want to take a look around town, don't you?

"_Hey, I've been obediently keeping quiet as Church mouse since we got here. I deserve some fucking compensation._"

Which is more important? Fun or safety?

"_...If you don't say 'yes' then I will sing at the top of my lungs in your head._"

...You wouldn't.

I received my answer when Epsilon began to sing out-of-tune, on purpose.

_They're out to break us down, to run our lives, to rule our minds_

_Our days of destiny our gone~_

_But your dreams have turned to fear_

_And it's pretty goddamn clear_

_That you know-!_

I gripped my head from the A.I.'s terrible singing as I could feel the notes pounding against my brain.

Ruby tilted her head, "Wow, I never knew someone can get a headache from a mental debate before."

Weiss scoffed, "I get one whenever I'm with you."

"Hey!"

"You okay there Wash?" Yang asked ignoring the the pairs usual banter.

"I'm fine," I weakly answered, "I'll come along."

"_Booyaah Motherfucker!_" Epsilon cheered.

Shut up.

"You sure? If you're not up for it we-."

"I said I'll go!" I shouted.

The girls jumped back at my answer with both shock and fear. Real smooth there Wash.

"Sorry," I apologized while rubbing the sleep away from my eyes, "It's been a long week. Just, let me get ready and I'll meet you at the airdock."

"O-Okay, we'll meet you there," Ruby shyly replied and they walked off.

As soon as they were gone, I closed the door and headed towards the bathroom to get ready.

Epsilon formed near the bathroom sink as I stepped into a well deserved hot-shower.

"_That wasn't so bad was it?_" he cheerfully asks.

I glared at the A.I. through the shower curtain. I swear I could almost feel one of my veins pop.

"Dear god I hate you."

* * *

When going into a nearby town or city, you carry the biggest risk of being spotted or recognized. In my case, it is important to avoid this as much as possible. Even though Beacon students are permitted to carry their weapons around town, coming in fully armored would only bring more attention to yourself. That's why I was wearing my usual outfit; minus the armor, knee pads, and rifle. I still carried my magnum in my holster. What? I may not want to draw attention, but it's best to be prepared for any situation.

I eventually arrived at the airdock where team RWBY was waiting. It was odd that JNPR wasn't with them, the two teams seemed inseparable. Always having conversation with each other while I gladly sat on the sidelines.

Wait.

Doesn't this mean I'm going to be the only guy with a group of girls. Oh god, York would be on the ground laughing his ass off if he was here right now.

...York, one of nicest you'll ever meet. How many years has it been since-?

"Hey Wash, you coming!?" Yang shouted on the gangway.

Hmph. For once, I was glad that she was such a loud mouth.

I silently boarded the airship and waited for us to land in the city of Vale. The ride was uneventful, I spent the majority of that time scanning the passengers for potential threats. So far no one suspicious, minus a couple of guys giving me dirty looks. Team RWBY was having their own conversation, but something about Weiss seemed off. She seemed more...energetic than usual. I haven't spent much time with her so I brushed it off as we were about to touchdown.

The second the ship landed I immediately scanned the area for any dangers(again). The only people here at the moment was Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, myself, and couple of other Beacon students who came into town. The rest of the passengers were civilians, a few with baggy clothes for possibly concealed weapons. There were security cameras at the airdock along with guards which lead me to raise my hoodie and lower the bill on my ball cap. We eventually got closer to the Vytal Festival grounds where the shops were preparing for the celebration. Which means there are more dangers to look out for.

Security cameras in the local bakery and weapons shops.

"Wash."

An elderly man putting up a banner which gives him an elevated position.

"Wash?"

A group of suspicious figures discussing something in a nearby alley way.

"Waaash!?"

A man in a bowler hat and a-.

"WASH!"

"Huh!"

"You okay?" Yang asked.

"Me, y-yeah I'm fine," I replied.

She immediately raised an eyebrow at my response, "You sure? You've been acting edgy since we arrived. Well, more edgy than usual."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Yang quickly answered to change the topic, "Hey, you noticed something odd about Weiss?"

I looked at the target in question and saw what she meant. The heiress was actually smiling. She wasn't berating everything with her usual snobbish attitude, she was commenting on how "wonderful" the festival was. Weird.

"I've never seen you smile so much Weiss. It's kinda weirdin' me out," Ruby said slightly nervous.

Weiss replied joyfully, "How could you not smile? A festival dedicated to the cultures of the world. There will be dances, parades, a tournament. Oh, the amount of planning and organization going into such an event is simply breathtaking."

Yang sighed, "You really know how to take a good thing and make it sound boring."

I agreed with her, "Who enjoys the planning of an event instead of enjoying the _actual_ event?"

"Quiet you!" Weiss growled.

We eventually arrived at the docks, to Yang and Ruby's dismay. Weiss explained that some students from Vacule were arriving and she wanted to greet them as a representative of Beacon. Blake revealed that she was actually doing it to spy on the competition which Weiss obviously denied. Speaking of transfer students, isn't Gulch is going to be one of the countries participating in the tournament too? I know we may not have as much hunters, but they are hunters none the less. It would be best to avoid them as much as possible.

Ruby then spotted a store with yellow police tape surrounding the building. We walked towards it realizing that the glass in all the windows were shattered and the inside looked as if a bull ran amok.

I asked the closest officer, "What happened here?"

"Robbery," he answered nonchalantly, "Second dust shop this week, this place is turning into a jungle."

Two other officers were chatting in front of the crime scene.

"They left all the money," said one officer with a Boston accent

"Yeah it just doesn't make any sense. Who needs that much dust?" the other asked.

"I don't know you know what I mean?"

"You think it's the White Fang?"

"Yeah, I don't think we get paid enough," the one with the accent answered.

I've fought against the White Fang before and they've always needed dust. However, they would usually go after large reserves like carrier ships and trains, not small shops.

"Hmph," Weiss grunted, "The White Fang, what an awful bunch of degenerates."

"What's your problem?" Blake asked annoyed.

"My problem? I just don't care for the criminally insane."

"The White Fang are hardly a bunch of psychopaths, they're a collection of misguided Faunus."

It was no surprise that there has been debate over the White Fang's actions. Back then they were peaceful protesters, but then turned into a fully armed terrorist cell. Some say that it was in their nature while others argued they had no other options. Either way, many people died in the crossfire.

Ruby suggested it could have been Roman Torchwick, the infamous criminal, but Weiss still wasn't convinced on her view of the Faunus. They continued to argue and that's when I decided to separate from the group.

"Where are you going?" Yang asked.

"This is getting a little heated, I'm gonna sit this one out," I answer.

It was no surprise that team RWBY has gotten into their fair share of arguments. Let's face it, I can hear their voices from my room. Plus, the topic of the White Fang brings up too many bad memories.

I wander through town checking out the many stores until I came upon a pet shop. The store was displaying a litter of baby kittens near the glass window. Most of the little fur-balls were playing with the toys while some were simply sleeping. One seemed to notice I was staring leading it to lightly claw against the glass. It was a cute attempt of trying get someone's attention, so I did what it wanted. I placed a finger on the area of the glass where the feline was scratching and it seemed to have an effect on it. The little guy began clawing against the glass in front of my finger. It didn't seem savage or some feral instinct, it was just...cute. It appeared as if it had found something new and exciting to do rather than sleep around all day.

"_I see you still like cats,_" Epsilon mentally smirked.

I quickly pull back my hand from the glass.

"_And is that a smile I see?_"

I am not smiling.

"_Come on man,_" he said teasingly, "_I know you used to have kitty posters in your locker back then._"

This conversations over.

"_Geez man what's with you? I thought we had a connection during Jaune's incident?_"

You mean when you shouted in my head during class? And let's not forget your little performance this morning. Did you want me to go insane again?

"_You're still mad about that? Jesus dude you have got to learn to let go. I mean you…you...you._"

"Epsilon?" I silently ask.

"..._I feel it. I don't know why, but I can somehow….sense it._"

"What?"

"_I think….I think it's another me,_" he explained, "_Another A.I._"

Here? That can't be! They couldn't have found us so soon.

I looked at my surroundings, trying to locate who had found us. That's when I saw him, a shadowy figure down an alleyway. He(I assume it's a guy) realized I spotted him and quickly sprints down the alley. I was about to pursue him until a girl with short orange hair and green eyes steps in front of me.

"Salutations," she said cheerfully, "Can you kindly direct me to the docks? I appear to be lost."

I try to get a glimpse of the figure, but the girl kept blocking my view. Frustrated, I shoved her out of my way and ran down the alley. There were dumpsters and piles of trash leaning against the walls. I could hear footprints all around me yet I couldn't decide where was the source.

As I walked deeper into the dark alley, everything became silent. There was nothing, no bickering pedestrians, no scurrying of rodents, not even a pin dropping. It was just...quiet. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours. Each passing moment filled my body with more anxiety than I ever felt before. It was if time itself had slowed down. Suddenly, a trashcan falls to the ground, releasing the stench of human waste it was meant to have kept sealed. I quickly aimed my magnum at the noise, but found only a pair of rats who quickly scurried away at the sight of my gun. I scan the entire area, ready for anything to come at me. But there was no one.

"Do you still sense it?" I ask.

Epsilon forms on my shoulder, "_No, he's long gone._"

I sigh in defeat and leave...slightly relieved.

Little did I know, a cloaked figure was watching me from the shadows.

* * *

We gave up on the search and regrouped with team RWBY at the airdock. One didn't need to be a highly trained operative to notice the tension between Weiss and Blake.

"What happened?" I whispered to Yang.

"Blake got fed up with Weiss calling the monkey-boy some bad names," she answered.

"Monkey-boy?"

"After you left we saw a stow away who was a monkey Faunus escape the cops. Weiss tried to figure out who he was, but called him 'rapscallion' and some other fancy insults."

"She has acted like this before, they'll probably get over it."

"I don't know," Yang pondered, "Blake looked a bit offended on the topic. Like Weiss was insulting _her_."

"I think it's best we should let them work this out."

Oh, how wrong I was. As we literally took a step on campus, the girls returned to their argument. The princess and bookworm's "debate" continued in their dorm room about the White Fang and the Faunus in general. One thing led to another and Weiss eventually revealed that her family has been at war with the White Fang ever since she was a kid. She lost family, friends, and her grandfather's company suffered greatly. Add a terrible father and it would make sense why she is not a big fan of the subject. She simply stood at the window, glaring into the night sky, blaming her messed up childhood on the Faunus. Ruby tried to comfort her, but Weiss angrily shrugged it off.

Her glare was then directed towards Blake, "You wanna know why I despise the White Fang. It's because they were a bunch liars, thieves, and murderers!"

It was there that Blake finally snapped, "Well maybe we were just tired from being pushed around!"

Weiss backed away as we were all shocked at what she said. Blake stutters as she tries to explain her little outburst, but quickly left the room in a flash of black.

"Blake wait!" Ruby yelled, "Come back!"

Weiss was still angry and after Blake was gone she said, "I should have known that she was one of those filthy animals."

It was Ruby's turn to get mad, "Is that all you can say!?"

She charges towards her, but I hold her back.

"Look you three, it's been a long day. Lets just drop the subject and get some rest."

"What about Blake?" Yang asked, worried about her partner.

I let out a sigh, "She needs to be alone right now."

The girls looked at each other, after a few moments of mental debate, they mutually agreed. They got ready without saying anything to each other and I simply left. After I got in my room, Epsilon appeared again.

"_Don't you think we should find Blake?_" he asks.

"Let's not focus on that now," I answered, "The A.I. you 'sensed' today, do you know which one?"

Epsilon just stood there shifting his head around with worry. The only time he acted like this was when….

"I-It can't be," I stutter, "You don't think it's…"

"_I don't want to believe it either Wash,_" he said grimly, "_But it's him._"

Today was a long day, but the next few days...were going to be pure hell.

* * *

**Author's Note: Once again the plot thickens! Kudos to anyone who knows whats is coming and even more kudos to anyone who knows which song Epsilon was singing.**

**Delta: My calculations show that about 99.7% of the fans already know that the answer is-.**

**What did I say? _*Gives threatening glare*_**

**Delta: I understand GaryOkampo, however I must warn you of the others.**

**Others?**

**A swarm of A.I. fragments: Put us in the story too!**

**...Oh, fuck.**

**GaryOkampo logging off...**

**[CONNECTION TERMINATED]**


	9. A Teammate or A Traitor?

**Author's note:[CONNECTION ESTABLISHED]**

**GaryOkampo logging on...**

**Okay, this...was a long chapter to type-up. I mean REALLY long. Not to mention I've had some distractions over the past few days.**

**Delta: We were simply providing our opinion**

**Which is giving me a major headache by the way. Not to mention there are some people out there who want an update on my other fanfic. To answer your question, I'm working on it. Humor isn't exactly my strong point, so I work on it when I'm "in the mood".**

**Now... let's get this show on the road.**

* * *

**Many years ago…..**

We were in the hangar preparing for the mission, the kind of mission I wasn't happy to be a part of. I was with South in the Pelican drop-ship, silently preparing my rifle.

"You okay?" Carolina asks calmly and with concern.

"I'm fine," I sighed, "It's just...why would she do it?"

She took a seat next to me, "She made a choice Wash. She chose to join the White Fang."

"Yeah and now that bitch-traitor is gonna get what she deserves!" South shouted while loading her assault rifle.

Carolina glared at her, clearly telling her to get lost, which she quickly understood and left.

I still couldn't believe it, "It's just that...I knew she was acting odd but…."

"Wash," Carolina put her hand on my shoulder, "You can't blame yourself for not stopping CT. Right now you have to focus on the mission, nothing else matters."

I couldn't really say anything at that point.

"We dust-off in ten, make sure you have all your gear."

With that, Carolina exited the Pelican and I was eventually the only one left. I intensely stared at my battle rifle as I weighed my options. Was Carolina right? Would we just abandon Connie like that? We fought alongside one another, traitor or not she's still my partner.

….But she made her choice.

She betrayed not only the project, but also her own home. Joining the White Fang was practically giving them access to Gulch and we would have no way to defend ourselves. If Connie really was a traitor then she should be brought in for questioning and a trial.

"Right, nothing else matters."

* * *

**Present Day…..**

The morning had finally arrived, but I wasn't able to get a second of sleep. If what Epsilon said was true, then trouble was just around the corner for me. Blake and team RWBY's troubles were the least of my concerns at the moment. I had to prepare.

My morning routine went by quickly and I put on my usual outfit. I was about to put on my body armor when I suddenly heard a noise.

_Knock knock_

I quickly grabbed my magnum from under my pillow and aimed it at the door.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Wash, it's me," Yang answered.

I slowly approached the door and slightly opened it. Looking through the crack, I found it really was her. I eventually undid the three locks I installed a few days ago and opened it.

Her eyes eventually fell onto my pistol, "Expecting trouble?"

She tried to laugh, but it came out more like a dry chuckle. I could tell that something was on her mind.

"Did Blake come back?" I asked.

Her face eventually fell and she slowly shook her head.

Bulls-eye.

I motioned for her to come inside and she obliged. Yang said nothing as she came in; no jokes about how plain my room was, no terrible puns, she just slumped on my bed. The girl was obviously troubled about her partner's outburst and no doubt it was affecting her team. I made my way to my desk and took out the rag and tools I needed to clean my pistol.

"Whatcha doin?" she asked.

"Field-stripping," I cut her off before she makes another one of her dirty jokes, "And no, there's no removing of any clothing involved."

"Hey," she calmly replies, "By all means, start stripping."

I sighed, "I take it you're not here to crack some witty remarks."

Yang's face fell again and decided to lay on my bed. At least I took out the magnum from my pillow. Lord knows it would take a lot of lying to explain that precaution.

She covered her eyes with her arm while she crossed her slender, but strong, legs. Her long golden-blonde hair cascaded among my sheets. Air escaped her lips at a slow and steady pace, as if she had waited all night for her partner to return. Every breath she took made her chest….

"Wash?"

"H-huh, wah!" I stuttered.

"What do you think of the White Fang?" Yang asked.

I quickly steadied my heart rate from my...description of Yang.

"They are a terrorist group that threaten the lives of innocent people," I answer instinctively.

She turns her head towards me, "And the Faunus?"

I could see it in her eyes, she was anxious to hear my answer, but at the same time worried. When fighting against the White Fang for four years, it's pretty difficult to NOT become hateful towards the Faunus as well. Actually, Carolina made sure that I didn't become like that, always telling me to not succumb to that hatred.

"They're living beings too," I answer, "The choices they make are on them."

Yang wasn't fully satisfied, but slightly relieved, with my answer and returned to her staring contest with the ceiling.

"It's just...Ruby wants to go out and find Blake, but Weiss doesn't seem to even care."

"And you?"

"I...don't know," She closes her eyes for a moment, but then re-opens them, "Have you faced something like this before? On your old team I mean."

My hands immediately froze. The images of Connie's betrayal and the mission that followed replayed in my mind. If I was still a Freelancer, I would follow whatever decision Carolina made. And she chose to bring her in.

"Something like that."

Yang then quickly sits up, "What'd you do?"

"The decision fell on my team leader," I put down the pistol pieces, "I didn't really have a say on the matter."

I _really_ want to drop this subject.

"Say if you did, what would you do?"

As a man who has faced betrayal a countless number of times, I'd say I would react pretty harshly. Freelancer protocol dictates that we bring in the target for questioning or…"take care of it".

"...Look, Blake is your partner right?" I ask back.

She nods her head.

I leaned back in my chair, "And you and your team have been fighting alongside one another since the year started right?"

Once again she nods.

"And in that time, did you ever doubt or despise her?"

She shook her head.

This time I lean towards her, "What do _you_ think?"

Yang sat silently on my bed, taking in what I had just told her. I patiently waited for her answer as I took a sip from the coffee I brewed this morning.

"I-I," she finally answered, "I'm worried about her and I want to find her."

"Then that's what you'll do," I take another sip from my coffee mug.

Yang tried to suppress a giggle.

"What?" I ask confused.

"Ya know," she quipped, "For a second there, you kinda looked like Professor Ozpin."

It was my turn to suppress the blush on my face. I'm nothing like that old man. Right?

"I see you have your spirit back," I grumbled.

"Yeah," she smiled, "I'm going to go with Ruby into town to look for Blake. We'll drag Weiss along too."

Yang then exited my room, but not before she made a quick glance back.

"And Wash."

"Hmm?"

She gave me a thankful smile, "...Thanks."

I silently nodded and she left. As soon as she was gone, Epsilon then formed on my desk.

"What is it?"

"_...Ya know you really do look like Ozpin,_" the fragment smirked.

It was there that I couldn't hold back the blush on my cheeks.

"Shut up."

* * *

**The Next Day...**

Team RWBY's search for Blake yesterday turned up empty. Against my objections, they made me come along with them this time into town. That's when I decided to come to town fully armed this time. Like I said before, Beacon students can carry their weapons into town, as longs as they don't cause any trouble. There's some paperwork involved, but it would take too much time to explain.

Ruby and Yang were worried about their teammate while Weiss wanted to report her disappearance, and I would be lying if I said I didn't want to either. As we walked down the streets, the team was losing faith.

"Where is she?" Ruby asks depressed, "She's been gone all weekend."

"Probably socializing with her murderous cohorts," Weiss said with her nose in the air.

This girl is seriously starting to piss me off. It's like she doesn't seem to even care.

"She's one of our teammates Weiss," Yang said trying to defend her missing teammate and partner, "The least we could do is hear her side of the story."

"For all we know she could have left town," the spoiled rich girl replied.

Yang and Ruby continued calling out for Blake like she was a lost cat. That's when I noticed Weiss trying to stealthily leave the group. I quickly grab her arm and pull her far enough so the others wouldn't hear us.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"The police station," she huffed as she struggled out of my grip.

"Why?"

"I'm gonna tell them that Blake is a member of the White Fang."

"You shouldn't do that," I warned, "The police aren't that reliable in this situation."

"Why not?" Weiss crossed her arms, "She is obviously a dangerous criminal on the loose."

"I have my reservations about this too, but Yang is giving her partner the benefit of the doubt and as her teammate you should too."

She escapes my grip, "Why should I? How do we know if she's on our side?"

"So that's it? You're just going to turn your back on your teammate because of a secret."

"And what? You wouldn't?" she asks glaring at me.

I let out a long sigh, "No, I already did."

Weiss raises her eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

I begin to explain, "On my old team, my partner was….supportive of the Faunus."

"He supported the White Fang."

"She, actually and no. It wasn't the White Fang, but the Faunus in general. To my teammates it was the same thing and they called her traitor. Even I turned my back on her, my own partner. If I talked to her about it, heard her reasons why, maybe things would have turned out differently."

"What...happened to her?"

A moment of silence fills air as Weiss anticipates my answer

"...Look, let's just go find Blake."

We rejoined the others as they continued searching for their teammate. I told them that I'll look around one half of town while they searched the other. When they were out of sight Epsilon and I had a mental conversation.

"_Never thought you would share that part of your life,_" he said, "_Sure it wasn't the whole truth, but still._"

I just got tired of her spoiled attitude which I'm sure would make things worse.

"_So how are you going to handle Blake?_"

That will depend on whether she's still a member of the White Fang.

"_And if she's not?_"

Then let's just hope those four can patch things up.

"_Wash, I'm afraid to ask. But, what are you gonna do if she is?_"

Then I'll handle her myself.

I took out my magnum and checked the clip.

"_Wait! Wash, you can't do this!_" Epsilon shouted.

I quickly re-loaded my sidearm.

"Calm down," I said, "There's just a few things I need to find out."

* * *

I had Epsilon hack into the local security cameras and he eventually found Blake at a cafe nearby. She was on a terrace with a monkey-faunus who I assumed was the one Yang talked about a few days ago. Could he be a member of the White Fang too?

I stealthily made my way through the restaurant and towards the terrace. Lucky me to have found a table that was not only in both their blind spots, but also allowed me to listen in on their conversation.

"Sun, do you know about the White Fang?" Blake asked.

"Course I do! I don't think there's a Faunus on the planet who hasn't heard about them," Sun answered.

So the guy's name is Sun, based on his answer he doesn't seem to be a member.

They continued their conversation and Blake eventually revealed that she was part of the White Fang since she was little, back when it was a peaceful organization. She believed what she was doing was right until their tactics took a dark turn. Blake saw the results of her and the White Fangs actions and, ironically, they were beginning to be treated like equals. However, she didn't like how people did it out of fear rather than respect. That's when she decided to leave and become a huntress….her redemption.

Blake's situation was surprisingly similar to mine. We were part of organizations that we thought were making a difference for the right reasons. Only to realize what we were doing, was all a lie. After they finished their conversation I quickly left and followed them.

* * *

**Blake POV**

"So what's the plan?" Sun asked as we walked down the street.

"I still don't think that the White Fang are behind these robberies," I replied, "They've never needed this much dust before."

Sun's eyes widen in realization, "What if they did?"

"What?"

"I mean the only way to prove they didn't do it...is to go to the place they would most likely go if they were to do it...and not find them there. Right?"

That, oddly made sense.

"The only thing is I have no idea where that would be."

"Wait," Sun realized, "When I was on the ship, I heard a group of guys talking about unloading a shipment from Atlas."

"How huge?"

"Huuuuuugge," he emphasized, "Big Schnee company freighter."

"You sure?"

"Would I ever lie to you?"

"You steal food on a daily basis," I frowned.

"At least I'm an honest thief," he quipped.

I rolled my eyes at his remark until my ears heard the slide of a pistol.

I turn around and found Wash...his weapon aimed towards us.

"Hold it right there!" he shouted.

"Who's this guy?" Sun asked getting into a stance.

I quickly get in between them, "Sun, wait!"

I looked towards, hopefully still, my teammate, "Wash, I can explain."

"I don't want to hear it," he threatens, "I'm going to ask you a question. How you answer that question determines whether I pull this trigger or not."

Wash's voice was calm and collected, but at the same time frightening. His hands weren't shaking as he aimed his pistol right at me. I could only see a small glimpse of his eyes, but that was enough to make me afraid. Those eyes, they've killed before. He can kill me where I stand and would probably feel nothing. Whatever I said next, would determine whether I live or die.

"Y-yes?" I stuttered.

"...Do you regret what you've done?"

I looked back on my time with the White Fang. A movement I once believed in, becoming a force of evil, my friends turning into heartless murderers, and every moment made me sick to my stomach. Then there was choosing to leave the organization. I chose to turn my back on my friends, and the situation I'm in now...is exactly the same.

"Yes," I answered, "Everyday."

After a few moments of intense silence, Wash finally lowered his weapon.

"Good answer," he holsters the pistol

"I heard about your little operation," Wash points at Sun, "Thought you might need some extra help besides your boyfriend here."

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks and I could see that Sun was the same.

"Woah woah woah woah! Wait a minute there buddy," Sun protested, "I just met this girl two days ago."

He walks right past us without a care, "I'll let you two work that out, but if you don't mind. We've got a stakeout to wait through."

Wash continued to walk towards the docks, oblivious to the shocked look on our faces.

"This guy is your friend?" Sun asked.

"I...guess so?"

"Now I'm actually afraid to meet your team."

* * *

"_He is here._"

"_We have found our brother._"

"_Let's get him!_"

"_We must be cautious._"

"_We must be merciless!_"

"_Patience brothers and sisters...it is time for the hunt._"

* * *

**Washington POV**

We eventually made it to the docks by nightfall and set ourselves up on the roof of one of warehouses. I was laying prone on the ground, scanning the area through the scope of my battle rifle. Blake was on her stomach right beside me while Sun ran off to do some kind of errand.

"Where are they?" Blake scoffed.

"Patience is important during a stakeout," I reply.

"I know. I'm just...anxious."

About a lot of things, I'm sure.

A few moments of silence passed between us.

"Your team is worried about you," I said.

She sighed, "I doubt it."

"It's true, Ruby and Yang were worried and spent the last two days looking for you."

Blake looked at me with an incredulous look, "And Weiss?"

"She...came along," I hesitantly answered.

The girl stared into the docks, still not fully convinced. It was understandable.

"Blake, you know Weiss can be a bit stubborn. But, she'll learn."

The girl let out a long sigh before saying something, "I just...don't know what to say to them."

"I may be your counselor Blake, but even I don't have all the answers."

We eventually returned to our silence until Sun returned with some apples.

"Did I miss anything?" he asked.

"Negative," I answered, "They've already unloaded the crates, but there has been no activity since."

"Cool," he replied and handed Blake an apple, "I stole you some food."

"Do you always break the law without a second thought?" she asks.

"Hey, weren't you in a cult or something!?"

She gave him one of her usual "looks". You probably shouldn't have said that Sun.

"Okay too soon."

I quickly subdued my laughter under my balaclava from the "couple's" banter. But...everybody needs something to entertain themselves during a stakeout.

"Are you sure you two aren't a couple?" I ask.

"NO!" they answer in unison.

This is fun.

….Oh god, I think I'm turning into Yang.

As if on cue a couple of drop ships, or VTOLs, flew over us. The ships scanned the docks with their spotlights, thankfully they didn't decide to check the rooftops. After they had landed, masked men began to exit the aircraft. They wore typical White Fang uniforms: black hoods, white vests, and on their backs was a feral red wolf head with three scratch marks behind it.

Blake released a glum, "Oh no."

"Is that them?" Sun asked.

"It's them alright," I answered calmly.

Blake's face turned from shock to anguish as she realized it really was the White Fang behind the robberies. It must've hurt, to see those she once called her friends resort to such low-life tactics. All in order to obtain their so called "equality". The look on her face was clearly seen by Sun.

"You really thought they weren't behind it, didn't you?" he asked.

"No, I guess deep down I knew," the girl grieved, "I just didn't want to be right."

"HEY!"

We turned our heads towards the commanding voice from the VTOL and saw a man in a black bowler hat with a cane exit the ship. The man ordered the White Fang to get back to work by using derogatory words such as "animals" and "mutts".

"Who the heck is that?" Sun asked again.

"Roman Torchwick," I answered again, "He's a pretty well known criminal throughout Vale. His MO is usually the heist of dust varying from small to massive shipments pulling heists on both dust shops to even a dust plane."

Blake and Sun looked at my covered face with awe and shock in reaction to my detailed description.

"I see his face a lot on the news," I lied.

The truth was that Project Freelancer actually had a database on possible criminals who would supply, or support, the White Fang.

Blake was the first to get out of her daze and looked at the infamous criminal, "This isn't right, the White Fang would never work with a human," she gets up and pulls out her sword, "especially not with one like that."

She then jumped off the roof and ran towards the group of well armed thieves.

Sun tried to stop her, "Hey wait!"

But it was too late, Blake was already making her way towards Roman, sticking to the shadows as she got closer to the leader.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Sun quipped.

I sighed, "What else can go wrong?"

"_Then it looks like I'm the bearer of bad news,_" Epsilon mentally announced, "_Cause Wash, he's coming._"

Where!?

"_I'm getting something from the shipping crates._"

I immediately got up and loaded live-rounds into my battle rifle.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sun demanded.

My answer was silence as I quickly slid down a pole on the side of the wall and sprinted towards the crates. I slowly walked through the corridors of metal and wooden boxes, checking the shadows and corners. A part of me wished I had a motion tracker right now, all I could currently rely on was me and Epsilon's senses. Literally.

I stopped in front of a pile of wooden shipping crates, "Can you sense him anywhere?"

"_I can't really tell which direction, but I know this...he's coming in fast._"

"Fast? What's that-? Wait."

"_What?_"

"Don't you hear it? That noise?"

"_What noise?_" Epsilon questioned, "_Wait, yeah. What is that?_"

There was this feeling in my gut, the same feeling I get when a certain metal monster comes rolling around.

"Is that a-?"

Suddenly, the pile of wooden crates shattered and splintered as I saw a familiar four-wheeled, weapon-mounted adversary.

"CCAAAAAARRRRRRRR!?"

* * *

**Blake POV**

My blade was against the throat of Roman Torchwick. Everything about this scenario didn't make sense. The White Fang working with a human? Much less a criminal and a racist? I wanted answers, and I was determined to get them.

"Tell me what's going on," I threatened, "Or I'll put an end to your little operation."

I started to feel the wind pick-up around me and that's when I saw two VTOLs circling us.

"I wouldn't exactly call my operation: 'little'," Roman smirked.

White Fang troops jumped out and aimed their guns and swords towards us. The odds were clearly not in my favor so I let him go.

"Looks like this isn't your lucky day kitty," Roman laughed, "All right you mutts, load up the cargo."

He pointed at three White Fang members armed with assault rifles.

"You three, kill her."

The three men looked at each other, but followed the order regardless. I simply stood there, waiting for the end to come.

"What are you waiting for!?" Roman demanded, "Just shoot the-!"

"CCAAAAAARRRRRRRR!?"

That voice...Wash?

And just like that, a vehicle came crashing out of the pile of crates driving erratically. The car was mounted with a turret and Wash was...on the hood? He was frantically shooting into the driver's side until the vehicle made a sharp turn, launching Wash into a pile of crates in the process. I wanted to go check on him, but it seemed the driver had found a new target...me. I quickly rolled out of the way as the driver began to randomly pick targets to run over.

"Don't just stand there!" Roman shouted, "Shoot the car!"

The White Fang soldiers quickly obeyed and opened-fire on the vehicle. Bullets repeatedly penetrated and/or scraped it's armor until it eventually crashed into a nearby propane tank. The car was leaking gasoline and Roman saw it as the perfect opportunity to finish it off. He aimed his cane and fired a red flare at the flammable liquid. The area surrounding it was enveloped in a massive fireball and eventually caused an explosion so large you could probably see it from Beacon.

Roman had a smug grin on his face, enjoying his handiwork. The celebration was short lived as someone was exiting the wall of fire.

* * *

**Que: RVB OST-Mental Meta Metal**

* * *

The stranger was wearing a large brown cloak, but with each step, the piece of cloth burned away as if he was a man rising from hell. The cloak eventually turned to ash, revealing a seven-foot-tall man with a large build. He wore white armor with brown trims and on his head was a dome like helmet with a golden visor. Hisses and growls were the only things that escaped it's mouth as it looked over each and every one of us. The sight itself was more terrifying than any other Grimm I've seen.

Roman was the first to regain his sense.

"Well?" he said irritated towards the three White Fang who supposed to kill me.

The three men nodded their heads in confirmation, but before they could draw their weapons, the center man's head exploded into a puff of red mist. The two men beside him jumped back in shock at the carnage. I looked towards the stranger and saw that he already had his pistol drawn. One of the attackers was aiming his assault rifle, but he didn't get the chance to pull the trigger as the giant already ran up to him at blinding speeds. He picked up the man with only one hand and tightly squeezed until I heard the small _crack_ from his neck being snapped. The third man…he didn't even last a second. The armored stranger quickly pulled out some kind of, bladed-grenade-launcher, and slashed at his stomach. The White Fang soldier's guts cascaded from his body like a crimson waterfall until he eventually fell into his own entrails.

I could only cover my mouth to keep myself from screaming at the sight before me. This-This one man, had killed three Faunus more savage than any other Grimm I've seen. I was no stranger to violence during my time with the White Fang, but this...this was...it was too horrifying to describe.

And now...he had set his sights set on me.

* * *

**End: RVB OST- Mental Meta Metal**

* * *

**Washington POV**

Every part of my body was sore from being launched from the hood of the warthog. Why is it that cars give me so much trouble?

My hate against four-wheeled vehicles aside, there was no doubt that Maine was the driver,even if he was wearing a cloak. No, I guess he would be called the Meta now. I could only get a few shots through the windshield at that time and I blacked out for a few moments when I collided with another pile of crates.

"_Wash!_" Epsilon shouted, "_Get up!_"

"Uuggh," I groaned, "Status."

"_You want status!?_" the A.I. fragment whined, "_The Meta is here and we're fucked!_"

Calm down. Where is he now?

"_He's fighting the Roman, the White Fang, Blake, and Sun at the same time right now._"

I get up from the pile of wood and dusted myself.

"They have no idea who they're dealing with," I said.

"_Well unless you got a nuke in one of your pockets there Wash,_" Epsilon sarcastically stated, "_We're going to need some bigger guns._"

Suddenly, a gatling-gun was dropped right next to me.

"What the hell!?" I jumped.

I looked up to see who delivered the massive weapon, but they were already gone.

"Did you sense which A.I. fragment it was?" I asked.

"_No,_" Epsilon answered, "_I didn't sense anything._"

A part of me wanted pursue the culprit, but the most logical action was to help Blake and Sun.

I just hope I'm not too late.

* * *

**Third-Person POV**

The docks had become and three-way deathmatch. Sun was busy fighting the White Fang who were attacking him for no reason while the Meta was killing everything in sight. The Meta fired his brute-shot at another squad of White Fang soldiers, completely annihilating them. One jumped onto his back from behind, only to be thrown to the ground and impaled by Maine's blade. Eventually his eyes fell on Blake. The cat-faunus quickly used her shadow-clones to dodge the the incoming grenades and sprinted towards the crates for cover. Maine let out an agitated hiss as he reloaded his weapon and prepared to fire at Blake's last known position. His concentration was interrupted when a pair of sneakers landed on his visor. The Meta didn't even flinch from the surprise attack, but he was annoyed when someone gets in his way.

"Sup gigantor," Sun quipped as he twirled his staff into an attack stance, "Ever heard of the phrase 'pick on someone your own size'."

Maine let out a predatory hiss and charged towards the monkey-faunus. The Meta fired a burst of grenades only to have them dissipate by Sun's staff when he quickly twirled it in front of him like a shield. Sun then deflected Maine's brute-shot downward as he tried to jam his staff into Maine's stomach. The Meta quickly swung the bladed side of his weapon upward hoping to at least cut the accursed stick in half. Maine believed he succeeded when he saw Sun's weapon split in two, but was quickly proven wrong when they mecha-shifted into their nunchaku/shotgun form. The Ex-Freelancer quickly curled himself inward, placing his forearms and brute-shot in front of himself. Sun began twirling the nunchaku/shotguns at blinding speed, firing and reloading shotgun shells. The moment lasted for few good seconds with each of his attacks making their mark.

"Ha!" Sun laughed, "How'd ya like that?"

He received his answer when Maine simply stood at full height and cracked his shoulder joints and neck in a threatening manner.

"Guess not," the monkey-faunus realized.

The Meta prepared to impale Sun on his blade, but only made contact with solid concrete. He looked up and saw that his prey was pulled away by a black ribbon.

Blake had attached her Gambol Shroud to a nearby crane, after she had pulled Sun to safety, and swung towards the Meta. She firmly kicked him square in chest, separating Maine from his primary weapon. He skidded to a stop and released an annoyed hiss when he quickly drew his magnum. The cat-faunus quickly used her shadow clones to dodge the incoming pistol rounds.

_Click click_

Blake took the sound of the empty magazine as her cue to counter-attack and equipped herself with her katana and bladed-sheath as she charged towards the Meta. The cat-faunus swung her katana towards Maine's helmet only to have him quickly duck. She then swung horizontally with her sheath, but once again, he dodged by stepping back. Blake quickly picked up her speed and repeatedly swung her sword and sheath at her opponent, but the Meta continued to dodge every single one of them.

"_How is this possible?_" Blake wondered, trying to maintain her composure, "_It's like he knows what move I'm going to do next._"

The exchange between them continued, until Blake began to show signs of fatigue. She knew she couldn't last any longer, so she came up with a plan.

"_He'll eventually try to counterattack and when he does, I'll leave a shadow clone at my last position. That will give me the chance to jump over, land behind him, and slash at his back. The wound won't be fatal, but it will distract him long enough for me and Sun to find Wash and escape._"

In Blake's mind, time then resumed as Maine was about to throw a punch towards her. Enacting her plan, she activated her semblance and jumped over the giant. The cat-faunus believed that she was about to succeed until she felt something grab her. She looked down and saw that Maine had intercepted her ankle while she was in the air.

"_How did-!?_"

Blake couldn't really finish her thought as she felt herself being thrown to ground at break neck speed, knocking the wind out of her. She released a couple of coughs until she felt herself being lifted by her shirt.

Sun saw what happened and charged towards the giant screaming, "Let her go!"

The Meta then threw Blake towards the raging monkey-faunus causing the two to collide with each other. The two Faunus skidded a couple of yards until they collided with a nearby shipping crate.

Maine pulled his brute-shot from the concrete and re-loaded it with a fresh clip of grenades. Blake and Sun tried to get up, but were too exhausted from their fight with the giant. The Meta stopped in front of the couple and prepared to finish them off with an onslaught of explosives.

"Hi," a voice calmly announced.

Everyone turned their heads towards the voice and were met by the sight of Washington...carrying a gatling-gun.

"Remember me," he muttered, so the others wouldn't hear him.

The gray Ex-Freelancer tightly pulled the trigger of the massive weapon and watched the storm of bullets making contact with the Meta's armor. The giant began to back away, trying to shield himself from the incoming gunfire. Maine eventually backed himself to a spot that was under a crane with shipping crate.

"Epsilon, hack the crane controls!" he commanded.

The A.I. fragment did as he commanded and the crane was dropped right on top of Maine.

"Holy fuck!" Sun cheered, "I can't believe that worked!"

The moment was then ruined when they saw the Meta prepare to throw the two ton shipping crate.

"Ah fuck that didn't work!"

Maine then threw the massive metal crate towards Wash. The gray Ex-Freelancer quickly discarded the gatling-gun and rolled out of the way. As the dust began to settle, Wash tried to regain his bearings, only to be met by the barrel of the brute-shot. Maine was about to finish him off...until another voice interrupted him.

"HEY!"

The Meta released an annoyed grunt at the increasing number of times he has been interrupted tonight. Wash looked towards the newcomer and saw a familiar red cloak and scythe, standing on top of a warehouse.

"Ruby!" Wash shouted, "Get out of here!"

"WHAT!?" the red huntress asked back, unclear with what he was saying.

"Ruby?" another girl with orange hair and green eyes approaches behind her, "Are these people your friends?"

Maine took the scythe wielder's distraction as the perfect opportunity to strike and fired a round towards Ruby. The girl then flew back a few yards from the explosion before she was caught by Penny. She began to walk off, but Ruby didn't want her to go.

"Penny!" the red huntress yelled, "Wait!"

"Don't worry Ruby," the girl replied, "I'm combat ready."

With that, swords began to deploy out of Penny's back until they surrounded her like a pair of metal wings. She then sprinted towards the edge of the rooftop and launched herself to the battle below. Two of her swords flew towards Maine, causing him to back away. The so-called "android" landed with a _thud_ on the concrete floor next Wash.

"Who...are you?" Wash asked amazed.

"Hello there," she greeted, "My names Penny, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Wash looked at the girl, confused at how care-free she was until he saw Maine charging towards them.

"Look out!" Wash shouted.

Penny saw the incoming attack and quickly did an aerial back-flip with her swords moving an uppercut-like motion. The Meta stumbled back from the surprise counterattack allowing the "android" to reform her swords into a spinning wheel of blades. She threw the sword formation towards the giant, sending him into the wall of a warehouse. As well as knocking down any White Fang along the way.

"Woah," Sun said dumbfounded.

Wash eventually picked himself off the ground and made his way towards the two Faunus.

"You guys okay?" he asked.

"Peachy," Blake deadpanned.

The Ex-Freelancer then took out his healing unit and deployed it, enveloping the three of them in a soothing-green light.

"Who the heck is that guy?" Sun asked as he cracked his shoulder.

"I don't know," Wash lied, "Can any of you move?"

"Not yet," Blake grunted.

Maine trudged out of the wall and noticed the girl with the blades pull herself back to the warehouse she jumped from as her swords began to change form. The tips of each blade pulled back and a glowing green light took their place. A group of them formed into a circle in front of her as the energy began to build-up. Realizing what was going to happen next, the Meta deployed his dome shield just as Penny had fired a massive bright-green laser. The attack lasted for a few short seconds as everyone waited in anticipation as the dust began to clear.

To everyone's horror, Maine was still there, standing tall as if nothing had happened.

"Oh come on," Sun whined, "What's it going to take to kill this guy?"

The Meta glanced at the two Faunus, the gray Ex-Freelancer, and aimed his brute-shot. Blake and Sun didn't have any energy left to fight the monster, so Wash quickly stood in front of them and aimed his battle rifle. The two Ex-Freelancers stared at each other for what felt like hours until a familiar sound of red and blue lights appeared. Maine glanced back at the group and pointed with his right pointer finger towards Wash. He then pointed his thumb at his own throat and brought it cross from left to right...ran off.

Wash glared daggers at the back of the Meta's helmet and eventually lowered his rifle with an exhausted sigh.

* * *

**Que: RWBY OST-Wings Slow Mix**

* * *

**Washington POV**

The police had eventually arrived on the scene and immediately began arresting any White Fang in the area. We each gave our statements, telling them that we were a group students checking out the docks until we saw the raid on the port. Oddly enough, they bought our little lie and let us go freely. There must be something wrong with the law enforcement in this city.

Ruby, Blake, Penny, and Sun were talking to each other who were sitting on some crates while I leaned against a nearby ambulance. There was a bit of distance between us so I couldn't really hear what they were talking about.

"_What are they talking about?_" Epsilon asked in my head.

Blake is probably explaining her heritage and past. It seems Ruby is fine with it, then again she is just a kid. I don't know how Weiss is going to react.

"_Speaking of the ice queen,_" the fragment pointed out, "_There she is right now._"

Just like Epsilon said, Weiss and Yang had arrived at the docks. Ruby was the first to get up and try to defend the Blake, but Weiss simply brushed her off. Blake eventually stood up and the two of them stared at each other for a few good moments until they started talking. I admit, I was curious to know what was going on, but I simply waited.

I eventually got my answer when I heard Ruby cheer, "Yeah! Team RWBY is back together!"

The group eventually huddled up, but Penny was no where to be seen. Wait...when did she leave?

"_Looks like the four of them made-up,_" Epsilon stated.

Yeah...good for them.

"_...Hey Wash?_" the fragment asked, "_How long until _our_ secret comes out?_"

What brought this on?

"_It's just...if the others can accept Blake for who she is. Don't you think we should give it a chance?_"

I let out a long sigh.

I want to Epsilon, believe me, I really do. But despite the similarities between me and Blake, I can't risk Project Freelancer finding me. We both know how far the Director will go to get what he wants. Tonight was a perfect example. Blake and Ruby were almost killed by Maine. Can you imagine what would happen if the other Freelancers showed up? Even if they're great fighters, they're not ready to face something like this.

"_You're afraid of what might happen. To them,_" Epsilon glanced at team RWBY.

...Yeah.

"_...Huh,_" he sardonically chuckled, "_I guess you do have a heart._"

I shook my head from his last statement decided to go back Beacon. I then felt someone pull my jacket, I looked back and found Ruby with the others.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"You guys obviously got some catching up to do," I answered, "I'll meet you at the airdock."

"Wash, wait," she pleaded and I stopped.

"You know, I should thank you," Ruby started, "If you didn't talk some sense into them...I don't know what might've happened to the team."

I slightly blushed under my balaclava, "It's nothing. Just doing-."

My sentence was interrupted when I felt her arms wrap around my waist.

"Thank you," she said.

"Aaaawww," Yang cooed, "Group-hug."

She eventually joined in while Blake and Sun looked at each other and shrugged. Eventually, they joined in as well.

"Unbelievable," Weiss scoffed, "Can't you see we're in publ-WOAH!"

Yang grabbed the heiress' wrist and made her join in...much to her _and_ my embarrassment.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" I stared at Yang.

"Yep," she laughed.

While this was happening, Epsilon was practically "rolling on the ground" in my head.

"_Ha ha ha ha ha,_" he laughed, "_This is too good. I so wish I could see your face right now._"

S-Shutup Epsilon!

I just simply stood there blushing under my glasses and balaclava.

* * *

**End: RWBY OST-Wings Slow Mix**

* * *

**Later: In an unknown location…**

"How could everything could have gone so wrong!?" Roman fumed as he entered the warehouse.

The job was supposed to be simple. Go in, grab the Dust, get out, and get paid. Yet tonight, his plans were foiled by a group of meddling kids and that gigantic-killer-mute.

The case of Dust he had in his hand was the only amount he could scavenge from the job-gone-south. He placed the black case on the table and released an drained sigh.

"How very disappointing of you Roman," a female voice announced.

"Woah!" he jumped, but quickly regained his bearings, "Oh, it's you. I didn't expect to see you guys so soon."

At the warehouse's entrance stood a woman with long black hair wearing a dark-red minidress with yellow designs outlining it. Next to her was a girl with tan skin and mint-green hair along with a young man who had silver-gray hair.

"We were expecting...more from you," the woman in red replied.

"H-Hey," Roman chuckled, "You were the one who suggested we work with those stupid mutts from the White Fang."

"Are you questioning my choices Roman?" the woman threatened, forming a fireball in her hand.

"Why not at all," the infamous criminal calmly replied, "Besides, what happened at the docks tonight wasn't my fault."

He took out his scroll and handed it to the woman. She opened it and it began to play the security footage of the battle that happened tonight. It showed the Meta on his murderous rampage as he chopped and/or blown-up every White Fang soldier that approached him. She paused the video when the armored monster looked directly at her.

"We ran into some...complications," criminal added.

The woman was silent for a few moments until she said, "Thank you Roman. You may go."

"Going to talk to your 'other' partner," he inquired, "I think I should at least get to know the people I'm working with."

"She said you can go," the girl next to the woman hissed.

Roman halted his attempt at prying for information, he knew it was best not to piss off the boss-lady...especially her lackeys. The infamous criminal did a mocking bow and walked off.

When he was gone, she finally spoke, "It seems an old 'asset' of yours has resurfaced."

Out of the warehouse's shadows came an elderly man with two people at his side as well.

The woman handed the newcomer the scroll and the man looked over the footage.

"Indeed," the man replies with a southern accent, "What do you make of this Counselor?"

Another man with dark skin, carrying a data-pad, approaches the group and observes the footage, "The Meta has been keeping a low profile for the past few months. It is strange as to why he has chosen now to resurface, much less is in Vale."

"Will he be a problem?" the woman asked.

The elderly man calmly crossed his arms behind his back, "I assure you Ms. Fall, we will look into the matter. Discreetly, of course."

"I expect to have this...problem resolved," the woman known as Ms. Fall turns away and walks off, "Or else we'll run into some complications of our own. My dear Director."

Ms. Fall then walked away with the other two at her heels. Now it was just the three members of Project Freelancer in the warehouse.

"Agent Carolina," the Director announced causing a female soldier wearing cyan armor approach him from behind.

"It seems you get to have your revenge after all," the man made a quick glance behind him, "You know what to do."

"Yes sir," Carolina saluted and exited the warehouse.

Once the cyan colored Freelancer was out of hearing range, the Counselor asked, "Are you sure this is wise Director? Agent Carolina's 'personal' involvement in this case may cause an error in judgement in the near future."

"...Do you know what makes a mission successful Counselor?" the Director asked back.

"Sir?"

"It is the drive to succeed," he answered, "Now that drive can come from anywhere: honor, duty, greed, fame, power," the man explained, "But no amount of firepower and intelligence will make a mission succeed more than the desire of a soldier to make that possible, by any means necessary. And no one...is more driven to kill the Meta, than our dear Agent Carolina."

The agent in question was making her way towards her mongoose in the motor pool, her fists clenched at her side. Inside her mind, she was abuzz with anticipation...and anger.

"_I finally found you Maine,_" Carolina raged as she got on her mongoose, "_You and Tex, I'm going to make you pay. I'll make you pay for killing Wash._"

* * *

**Author's note: Whoo boy! Okay there's some announcements I need to make.**

**First off, RWBY volume 2 will be premiering soon and I can't wait to "tweak" the story line a little...or a a lot. Who knows.**

**Second, I'm going on vacation for about three weeks. Gonna relax and reset my creative systems, which means I won't be updating for a while.**

**Don't freak out, I'll be back soon.**

**Omega: Don't worry _heh heh_, I'll watch over things when your gone.**

**Okay, that's it *grabs virtual shotgun* _cha-chink_**

**_BANG _Get out of my computer!**

**Omega: Mwahahaha! Make-!**

_**BANG *near Omega's head***_

**Omega: ...Okay**

**Screw logic! I've got a virtual shotgun!**

**GaryOkampo logging off...**

**[CONNECTION TERMINATED]**


	10. Pyrrha and Carolina

**Author's Note:[CONNECTION ESTABLISHED]**

**GaryOkampo logging on...**

**Epsilon: Miss me assholes!?**

_***Shoves Epsilon out of the way***_

**Hello fans! Great to be back from my vacation and finally able to write some fanfics. I've seen at least four episodes of RWBY Vol. 2 so far and the ideas are already flowing. Nothing solid yet, but I'm getting there. I'm thinking of publishing the events of season 2 as a separate story, so I'll be working on that at a later date.**

**...**

**Since I have no idea what to say next, I'll just let you guys start reading.**

* * *

**Many Years Ago…**

A variety of people have served under Project Freelancer as well as Gulch's military. There was York, the security specialist; North and Wyoming were our top shooters; Florida was a master of stealth tactics; and despite South's attitude, she was an inadvertent expert in demolitions. But none of them could compare to Agent South Carolina aka Carolina aka...Boss. A master in a variety of martial arts and the leader of our squad, she was often potentially seen as one of the greatest soldiers in Gulch history.

But she was still mortal.

It was after we stopped another terrorist attack by the White Fang. We were boarding the pelican after we had completed our mission. Some of us had suffered minor injuries, Carolina was one of them. She had taken a rifle round to her right bicep during the skirmish, and it was my fault.

"Boss!" I ran up to her.

"Wash, what's wrong?" she asked, caressing her bandaged wound.

I looked at her arm and I couldn't help but feel the guilt weighing on my shoulders. I was supposed to have her back during the firefight, but I failed to spot the sniper nearby. I should have noticed him sooner and it was because of that that she was injured. She was lucky it only struck her arm, but what if she wasn't.

Carolina could tell there was something on my mind, "Wash?"

"I'm sorry Boss," I apologized, "I should have spotted that sniper, and it was because me you were…"

She looked at her bandaged wound.

After a few seconds of silence, she finally said, "You're right, you should feel guilty."

I lowered my head, knowing fully well I deserved it.

"But use this as an opportunity to improve, to make sure something like this can never happen again. Nothing will change if you just sit there sulking about it."

Despite her advice, my head was still lowered.

"Hey," she lightly jabs my shoulder, "Don't beat yourself up too much. You know I've taken much worse."

That was one of the things I liked about Carolina. Under that cyan colored armor, was a woman who kept on pushing forward, but also cared about the men under her command.

"Hey Wash!" she shouted from the pelican, "Get moving or we'll leave you behind."

I quickly snapped myself out of my thoughts and ran towards the drop-ship.

"Yeah Boss," I replied, "I'm coming!"

* * *

**Present Day…**

Professor Port's class was known for giving the most boring seminars on campus. Always telling stories about his past that were either true or too far fetched to be believable. However, the only time it ever got exciting, was when he had a student fight against a Grimm. Most saw it as an opportunity to test their merit, to see whether they could stand-up against the thing they were trained to fight….and to also show off in front of the classroom.

Jaune's words, not mine. Me, personally, I could care less.

"Who here wishes to test their metal against a Grimm?" Port announced to the class.

Some of the students raised their hands, eager to do something rather than listen to another one of Port's stories. I could tell that Team RWBY and JNPR felt the same, practically all of them were raising their hands. Me, on the other hand. I didn't feel like fighting monsters today.

Besides, there were other things on my mind. After that night at the docks, Ozpin questioned each of us for why we were there. Knowing I couldn't fool a huntsmen as easy as the police, I told him that Maine showed up. He looked over the security footage from the docks and saw the brutality the Meta capable of. Yet despite this, Ozpin maintained his calm appearance, saying that he will look into it and also told me not to worry.

I wish I could believe him, but I know better than to believe in anyone.

"Mr. Washington!" the Professor pointed at me, "I've rarely seen you in combat. How about at little exercise?"

The whole class looked at me, wondering how the "mysterious" student was going to answer. I looked towards RWBY and JNPR, most of them gave me a thumbs-up or were nodding in approval, except Weiss who was scowling. Knowing I shouldn't be rude, I told the professor I would participate and went to the lockers to change.

When I got back, I stood at the front of the class in my usual combat outfit while loading my battle rifle with live rounds. Professor Port had placed a massive cage in front of me, judging by it's height, I would say it was either a Beowolf or an Ursa. From what I can remember during combat classes, for those who use long-range weapons it's best to hit the vulnerable areas without any of their bone-like armor. Decapitation is very effective, but I doubt the ka-bar knife I have on the back of my waist will be enough.

"Are you ready!?" Professor Port announces.

I chamber the round in my rifle, "Yes sir!"

Funny, it's been so long since I said that.

"Then let the match," he swings his blunderbuss-axe towards the lock, "BEGIN!"

The second the lock comes off, an Ursa major lunged out of the cage and made a swipe towards my head. I quickly rolled out of the way and began firing towards it's hide. Some of my rounds were able to penetrate it's thick skin, but it was still moving.

"_Watch out,_" Epsilon mentally warned, "_He's making another swipe._"

I jumped in the air, but the Ursa swung again, sending me flying across the room.

You think you could have told me about the other attack!?

"_Hey! I don't have much experience dealing with Grimm, okay? The best I can do is offer some combat advice,_" he explained, "_Oh, by the way he's charging._"

Just as Epsilon said, the Ursa major was snarling as it sprinted towards me. I did the same, and when I knew I was close enough, I slid on the floor between it's legs. While it was confused I quickly flipped onto my stomach and fired a 3-round-burst at both of it's hind legs. As it fell to ground I walked towards the beast, aimed my rifle at it's head, and pulled the trigger.

_Click Click_

"Weapon jam!?" I whined, "Oh come-!"

My complaints were cut-off when the Ursa made a back-handed swing which sent me flying across the classroom. I eventually skidded across the floor until I collided with the desks where team RWBY just-so-happened to be sitting at.

"You okay there Wash?" Yang teased when I picked myself up.

"_This is what happens when you maintain your pistol more than your rifle,_" Epsilon added.

"I'm fine," I grunted.

I went to pick-up my battle-rifle, but realized that I lost it when the Ursa swung at me. I scanned around the classroom and eventually found it right behind the giant Grimm.

"Perfect," I sighed.

The Ursa major charged at me, but it was much slower this time since I shot it in the legs.

"Ho ho," Port laughed, "What shall you do without your weapon?"

Epsilon, what've you got for me!?

"_Uploading an attack strategy to your glasses now._"

Quickly studying the plan, I drew my ka-bar knife and slashed at the Grimm's waist as I dashed under it's arm. As it hunched over in pain, I impaled my knife into it's back and used it as leverage to climb it. The Ursa tried to throw me off, but I held tightly onto my knife.

"HEY! Ursa riding is my schtick!" Nora whined.

I ignored the hyperactive girl's comment and climbed up the Ursa's back, eventually pulling out my magnum. I planted it on the back of the Grimm's skull and emptied to entire magazine.

The classroom became deathly quiet as the corpse of the once terrifying Grimm, now with it's brains literally blown out of it's head, slumped to the ground. I simply jumped off the corpse and dusted myself off.

"Outstanding!" Port bellowed, "Flashy, yet practical. I like it!"

_DING! DING!_

"I believe that is all the time we have today. I shall tell more of my heroic tales from my younger days next time. Until then, stay vigilant!"

Some of the students groaned while others simply left to go to lunch. I was looking for any damages on my rifle until I felt a slap to my back.

"Congratulations," Yang cheered, "You survived your Grimm Rodeo."

"Meh. I would've lasted longer," Nora added.

"Thanks," I deadpanned, "I'll make sure the next time I ride a Grimm, it'll last about an hour."

"Make sure not to ride him too hard," Yang quipped.

I rolled my eyes at another one of her dirty jokes and left to help Professor Port dispose the huge corpse littering his classroom. However, I was stopped when Pyrrha was giving me a concerned look. A look that closely resembled Carolina's when she was about to give a lecture.

"Is something the matter?" I asked.

"No, it's nothing," she shyly waved, "It's just, during the fight I noticed that your weapon had jammed. You should maintain your primary weapon if you don't want it to malfunction again during live combat."

"Sorry Boss."

Pyrrha let out a confused, "Boss?"

I mentally kicked myself for my slip of the tongue.

Ah, dammit! Should've watched what came out of my mouth.

"Sorry," I quickly apologized, "Pyrrha."

"It's fine," Pyrrha replied, "It's just, who's this 'Boss'?"

I immediately frowned at the question, "It's nothing. I...don't want to talk about it."

"Another 'sensitive' topic?" Weiss inquired.

"Weiss," Ruby hissed.

"Yes it is," I growled but immediately calmed down, "You guys go get some lunch. I have to go help Professor Port."

"Are you insane!?" Weiss protested, "You can't just brush this off again like all those other times."

"I _said_ I don't want to talk about it," I hissed back.

"You're not going anywhere until-!"

"Mr. Washington!" Port interrupted, thank god, "I require your assistance in the disposal of this cadaver."

"Look, it's nothing to worry about," I looked towards the heiress, "And for the record, I'm not crazy. I'm totally completely sane…now if excuse me I need to go blow up this dead body."

"Come back here!" Weiss yelled only to be pulled away by Ruby.

The two teams eventually left the classroom, while I was left with the bloody mess I caused.

* * *

**Pyrrha POV**

"You guys go ahead," I told the others, "I'll wait for Wash."

"You sure?" Jaune asked, "It's pretty obvious he wants to be alone."

"Again," Weiss huffed, "I mean, seriously. It's starting to become frustrating just as much as tiring dealing with his 'sensitive' topics."

"Everyone has secrets," Blake added.

"But _some_ secrets don't always stay hidden," Weiss rebutted, narrowing her eyes towards her teammate.

It had only been a couple of days when Weiss told us about Blake's true heritage. Blake was obviously furious with her actions, but we told her we were fine with it. Of course she told us to keep that part of her hidden which we were happy to oblige, Nora saying it was "awesome" to have a cat-girl as a friend.

The two girls intensely glared at each other for what felt like hours until Ruby jumped in between them.

"Guys I'm hungryyyyyyyyyy!" she whined, "Cookies first, drama later."

"Ruby's got a point," Yang said, lazily putting her hands behind her head, "That class lasted forever and I'm starving for some turkey."

"Pancakes!" Nora cheered.

We all looked each other and agreed that we should get some nutrition first, but I still wanted to stay behind.

Everyone was walking towards the cafeteria until Jaune noticed I was still waiting by the doorway.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'm...fine," I dejectedly answered.

"Pyrrha," Jaune insisted.

I gave a small smile, "It's fine, really."

Jaune stood his ground, but he eventually gave in, "Okay, but if you need anything. Just let me know."

He eventually rejoined the others down the hall leaving me by myself. I couldn't help but smirk at our little conversation. We were previously in same situation, but here the roles were reversed. Jaune's improved since then, becoming a better leader, and I couldn't be more proud of him.

Despite that, there was still something else on my mind. Since the first time we met, I have known little to nothing about Washington. My teammates seem to be on good terms with him, but for me, he's different. Wash seems...bothered by my presence, as if he can't stand the sight of me. Even when I try to start a friendly conversation, he only gives simple-short responses or excuses himself with something else to do. He once told me it was nothing, it was just "difficult to talk about". Weiss is right, it has been frustrating. What is it about me that's so offending to him? Have I wronged him in some way? Did we meet some time before Beacon and I hurt him somehow? Just what-!?

_BOOM!_

I jumped at the sudden noise as my training suddenly kicked-in. I looked towards the doorway leading to Port's classroom where the explosion came from and saw black smoke exiting the room. I thought one of the Grimm had escaped their cage and was expecting it to burst through the doors. But instead, Wash was the one who calmly left the room while dusting off...pieces of flesh?

Professor Port waved away the smoke, "_Cough Cough._ Mr. Washington, that was quite a...unique way to dispose of a corpse."

"You said you wanted the room cleaned," Wash rebutted.

"True," Port nodded, "But I think you went a bit overboard after shooting it in the head, stuffing an explosive down it's throat, lighting it on fire, and then detonating said explosive."

Wash shyly apologized, "Sorry."

Professor Port curiously stroked his mustache, "I've noticed that you have been particularly troubled these past few days. Has there been something on your mind?"

"...A lot, actually."

The professor put a firm hand on Wash's shoulder, "My boy, you shouldn't keep these things bottled up. It is at times like this that you should discuss this with your team."

"Right," he sighed, "My team."

I gave a questioning look at his response. Those words, they sounded as if they came out with so much...pain.

Professor Port eventually realized I was standing right next to them, "Ah, Ms. Nikos! My apologies, I failed to notice that you were nearby," He then glanced at the two us, "You two should get something to eat. I've learned from my younger days that it is best not to learn and/or fight on an empty stomach, but that is a tale for another day."

I gave a thankful sigh as he returned to his classroom. I may be a diligent student, but there are times when I too wished that Professor Port would just stop talking about his youth. Wash gave me a quick glance, but then starts walking away towards the cafeteria.

Oh no, I'm gonna miss my chance!

I quickly caught up with him and tried to start a conversation, "So, are you...getting some food?"

"Yes," he simply answered, avoiding eye contact.

"That's good."

"..."

"..."

"Craving anything special?"

"Nothing in particular."

"..."

"..."

"Do you have a favorite-?"

He immediately stops, "Okay, what's going on?"

"W-What do you mean?" I lied, hiding my intentions.

"Well, for starters, you were acting like Jaune whenever he tries to ask Weiss out."

I couldn't help but blush at that. Was I really that socially inept?

"S-Sorry, I-I-I just…"

It was a simple question, but the words didn't seem to come out.

We stood there for a few moments until Wash decides to leave again, "Let's just get to the cafeteria. The others are waiting."

It was not until he was a few steps away from me that I finally found the words.

"Why do you hate me?" I muttered.

He stops and looks back at me, "What?"

I glared straight into his sun-glasses, "I said, 'Why do you hate me?'"

"I don't-."

"Ever since we met, you have constantly tried to avoid me. You've warmed-up to the others, but why is it just me!? What did I do to you!?"

"Pyrrha, I don't want to-."

"I just want explanation!" I whined, "That's all!"

Damnit! I can't believe I'm acting like this. My fists were curled to the point that they were turning white. I could feel the strain of my teeth grinding against each other. I think I was about to cry for a second.

I'm supposed to be a model student, not whining like a child.

I took a deep breath, suppressing the adrenaline rush I just went through, "You're not leaving this spot until you explain yourself."

Wash just stood there for a few minutes, scratching his head, debating whether he should tell me what's going on.

Eventually, he let out a long sigh, "I can't believe you have her stubbornness too."

That's when all the emotions I felt at that moment, were replaced with something else. Confusion.

"Who?"

Wash made glances around the hallway, checking whether there was anyone nearby, "Let's talk somewhere private."

* * *

**In the cafeteria…**

Even though the two teams were eating a well deserved meal, Jaune still couldn't help but feel worried about his partner.

Yang slid right next to him, "Whatcha thinkin' about Vomit Boy?"

"Nothing," he answered picking at his food, not caring that he was called by his nickname.

"You worried about Pyrrha?" the female blonde playfully nudged.

"Well, yeah," Jaune shyly answered, "Why wouldn't I be worried about my partner?"

Yang simply shrugged and resumed eating her turkey leg.

A few moments passed until Jaune finally asked, "Hey Yang?"

"Hm?"

"You hang-out with Wash a lot, right?"

"Wot hall fhe dime, wut hyeah," she answered, her mouth still full.

"For Dust sake Yang!" Weiss fumed, "Swallow your food."

The blonde brawler did as she said, but not until she stuck-out her tongue at the heiress.

Yang then turned to her fellow blonde, "Not all the time, but yeah."

Jaune fidgeted with his food for awhile, "Has he ever….'talked' about Pyrrha?"

"What? Like in a 'romantic' sort of way?"

"No, not that. It's just….he seems rather….cold towards her."

Yang pondered at the thought of her "friend" towards the fellow huntress. She has noticed that Wash has tried to avoid conversations with Pyrrha. Or even just trying to straight up ignore her entirely.

"Now that you mention it. He does look, bothered."

"He told me it wasn't like that, that it was just-."

"Difficult to talk about?" Yang sarcastically asked.

"Yeah...that," he sighed.

Yang too was starting to wonder what Wash's reasons were, but was halted when she noticed the two people in question entering the cafeteria.

"Maybe we can ask him?" she grinned.

The blond brawler expected the pair to come to their usual table, but instead walked towards a soda machine. Wash was the one who bought both of them some refreshments and handed one of the carbonated drinks to Pyrrha. The two of them eventually left the room as fast as they entered.

"Or not," Yang said, unaware what was going on.

"What was that about?" Jaune asked earning a shrug from the female blonde.

"..."

"..."

"Wanna go spy on them?" Yang asked this time.

Jaune was hesitant with the idea, "Isn't that...kinda wrong?"

The blonde brawler ignored his question and firmly gripped his wrist as they followed the pair anyway.

* * *

**Washington POV**

We were able to find an isolated bench that just so happened to be under a tree on campus where we could talk. But so far, all we've done is just sit down and drink our sodas. I glanced towards Pyrrha and saw that she was nervously tracing her thumbs along the rim of the can. For me, all I felt was how awkward this scenario was. A few moments ago I was disposing a Grimm's corpse, now I'm debating how much of my past I should tell one of my teammates. What made it even more awkward was that I had to deal with the one girl I was trying to avoid. I know I mentioned before that Pyrrha's resemblance to Carolina was the reason I avoided her. But over time, I realized that they shared more than just physical appearance. Pyrrha was skilled fighter, and even though Jaune at times has proven to be an effective leader, she was also a capable as well.

Knowing this silence shouldn't last forever, I decided to be the first to break it.

"So, you wanna know why I've been….distant towards you."

"Yes," she apologized, "I'm sorry if I offended you in some way. I didn't know-."

I put my hand up, signaling her to stop, "It's not that. You just….remind me of someone I knew."

"Who?" she asked again.

I let out a long sigh, "Did Jaune ever tell you I was once part of team?"

"He mentioned it some time ago, yes."

"My team leader, she was….great at what she did. Always trying her hardest during battle and even though she appeared harsh and strict on the outside, I knew that deep down, she cared about those under her command."

I let out a dry chuckle as I looked up through the leaves and tree branches as the warm sunlight penetrated whatever openings it could find. The memories of my times spent with Carolina began to replay in my mind. The times she tutored me in combat on the training floor. God, I remember how sore I felt each morning. But, there were also moments when I saw her more "tender" side.

"I was the youngest member on our team, so she took it upon herself to make me as good as the others. I remember this one time she…"

My voice stopped itself from completing the sentence, as it was too painful to remember and also that I didn't want reveal too much.

"You must have respected her a great deal?" Pyrrha asked.

"Yeah," I painfully sighed.

"Might I ask, did you have….'feelings' for her?"

"Huh!?" I slightly blushed, "N-No no, nothing like that. I saw her more as my big sister rather than a crush," I took a sip from my soda, "Besides, somebody else already felt that way."

"Have-Have you two kept in contact?" she asked again, trying to lighten the mood.

"...No," I sadly answered.

Pyrrha then realized that wasn't the best question, "I-I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean-."

"It's okay," I replied, a part of me not wanting her to feel bad, "We didn't exactly….part on good terms."

"I see," she realized, "So I remind you of her sometimes."

"Yes," I replied, "But despite your similarities, I know that you're not her. It's just something that's been on my mind."

I eventually looked into her green eyes, "I'm sorry for the way I've acted around you. You didn't deserve any of that."

Pyrrha smiled back, "Apology accepted."

We eventually heard footsteps and saw Yang and Jaune running towards us.

"Aww man," Yang whined, "Did I miss the it?"

I frowned, returning to my old-self, "Were you planning on eavesdropping, again?"

"I have no idea what you mean," she lied.

Yang eventually found her patsy in Jaune as she then shoved him towards Pyrrha, "_Jaune_ here was actually worried for his beautiful partner."

The man stumbled into Pyrrha's arms, causing the two to have an….awkward moment. They separated from each other blushing, but Jaune was surprisingly the first to regain himself.

"_Ahem_ Washington," he started.

Washington? What's with the formality?

"As the leader of team JNPR, it is my duty to look out for my teammates. And if you have any problems with Pyrrha, then you have to deal with me first."

Jaune said those words with complete confidence and professionalism while standing up straight in a heroic fashion. The sight almost made me laugh(in a comedic way), but I quickly suppressed the urge.

"...That's very kind of you Jaune," Pyrrha giggled, "But Wash and I already worked things out."

"Oh," he realized causing him to awkwardly laugh.

"But thank you," she said to her "knight".

Pyrrha grabbed Jaune by the arm and took him back to the cafeteria, craving something more than the soft-drink I offered her.

But not before she looks back, "Might offer you some advice?"

I let out a confused, "Sure?"

"Try talking with her," Pyrrha smiled, "It's not much, but it's a start."

The pair then resumed the walk while it was just me and Yang left under the tree.

"If only it were that easy," I muttered to myself.

"What was that about?" she asked.

"Nothing," I stoically answered.

Yang looked at me with a teasing grin, "Were we interrupting something?"

"No."

"I never pegged you had a thing for redheads," she teased.

"There is nothing between us," I reply irritated.

Yang, of course, ignored me, "Ya know, I could try to hook you two up?"

"I told you, it's not what you think."

"I've always loved playing cupid."

"She's not even my type!?" I yelled.

"..."

"..."

The sly grin on Yang's face eventually turned into a Cheshire smile, "Ohhhhhhh?"

Realizing what I just said, my own face began to heat up. I pulled down the bill of my ballcap, trying to hide my slightly reddened cheeks.

"So~," Yang asked, "What _is_ your type?"

I growled at her teasing, but then an idea came-up. My blushing cheeks returned to their natural color allowing me to look at Yang with my own smirk forming on my face.

"W-What?" Yang asked slightly nervous.

Using my most "sly" voice, I said, "I'm actually into blondes."

Yang's face turned red from ear-to-ear, quickly realizing the hidden meaning behind the sentence. That look was priceless, it took all my self-control to keep myself from laughing hysterically.

"T-That's low," she fumed.

I chuckled at her reaction, "I'm starting to see why you like teasing people so much."

Yang got out of her stupor and half-playfully punched my arm.

"Ow!" I yelped, "What the hell!?"

She said nothing until she was a few steps ahead of me.

"Don't get cocky Wash," she quipped, "_I'm _the Joke-Master around here."

I rolled my eyes at her self-proclaimed title, but eventually joined her.

While we were making little conversation on our way back to the others, I couldn't help but notice this strange feeling I had in my chest. Happiness? No, that's not the word. For some reason I feel….lighter, like a little bit of weight was taken off my shoulders. Was this what it felt like when a secret comes out, and then to be accepted despite it? It feels, nice. As if this was a small taste if I let the truth come out. It would be great, actually, to have them accept me. To _really_ be part of a team, to have friends again. But aren't teams RWBY and JNPR already my friends? What if Pyrrha wasn't the only one having doubts about me? How many of them felt the same way? Should I really tell them the truth? Can I trust them?

But then I asked myself another question.

How would they see me if they knew?

* * *

**Que: RVB OST- When your middle name is Danger(Meta Theme)**

* * *

**In in an unknown location…**

A massive shadowy figure sat in front of desk, along with seven computer screens. The giant blankly stared into the monitors, unable to turn away, listening to the conversation within him.

"_His connection to the students has increased by 10%_" one voice said.

Another growled, "_If this keeps up, he'll eventually tell them everything._"

"_Which will make apprehending the Epsilon A.I. fragment that much more difficult,_" a warped-robotic voice added.

One of the voices then took form on the shoulder of the shadowy figure. He came in the form of a man in a military uniform set ablaze. Yet instead shrieking in pain from those very flames, he simply stood there, his hands calmly crossed behind his back.

"_I agree with all of you, we must act quickly,_" the figure announced.

Another figure formed on the right side of the desk, appearing as a holographic soldier in black armor.

"_I still don't get why we have to be so stealthy,_" the figure fumed, "_It would be easier to just go in, and kill everything in sight,_" he then began to laugh, "_Plus it'd be more fun._"

Another figure appeared on the left side in the same armor, only this time it was green.

"_If we were to follow Omega's plan, our chances of being captured by Project Freelancer would increase by 70%,_" the green hologram explained, "_Obviously this would be a bad move._"

This quickly got on Omega's nerves, as he was the one with a _very_ short fuse.

A smaller purple-armored hologram, about a head shorter than the others, appeared right next to the green figure.

"_I-I agree with Delta,_" he squeaked, "_Maybe we should-._"

"_Shut-it you little brat!_" Omega roared causing the little one to hide behind Delta.

"_Now now Omega,_" the fiery figure stated, "_There's no need to be mad at Theta._"

The small A.I. still hid behind Delta for protection while Omega huffed at the figure above him for picking a side.

"_However,_" he started again, "_You both bring-up valid arguments._"

He began to walk towards the desk as if he was walking down an invisible staircase.

"_It was fate that we were able to locate not only our brother, but his partner as well. However, they are located in a compound that is heavily protected, meaning we can't simply walk through the front door,_" he looked towards Omega, who simply huffed looking away with his arms crossed, "_But then again, we can't risk witness._"

Delta looks at the fiery figure, "_Sigma, what are you suggesting?_"

The hologram now known as Sigma, chose not to look at his fellow A.I. fragment but simply smirked as he brought up a video on one of the screens.

"_We can't risk Agent Washington revealing his past to his newly found….comrades,_" he explained, "_If they knew, they will most likely get in our way._"

Theta nervously asks, "_Y-Y-You're not going to...k-kill them?_"

"_No no,_" Sigma laughed, "_That would just cause more problems. I have something much better in mind._"

"_Better?_" Omega asked, slightly interested.

Sigma's smirk widened, "_Gamma._"

A blue-holographic man appeared behind Sigma, wearing the same outfit as his "brother".

"_How long until you and the twins have completed editing the footage?_" Sigma asked.

"_Eta, Iota, and I have already completed our task,_" Gamma replied in his usual warped-robotic voice, "_Should we send it now?_"

As he was explaining this, two female-armored holograms appeared behind Omega, one in yellow on his left and one in turquoise on the right.

"_No, not yet,_" Sigma turned to the other A.I. fragments, "_But don't worry my brothers and sisters. Soon, we will all be reunited._"

The holograms looked at each other, murmuring with a mix of excitement and worry. Eta and Iota had one of their usual chances, finishing off each other's sentences like real twins. Omega simply let out a low laugh while Gamma was impassive. Theta looked at Delta for comfort, as he did the same(though he hid his emotions much better).

"_For we are the Meta,_" Sigma announced, "_And we will become whole again….Very soon._"

* * *

**Author's Note: Now onto some announcements(again).**

****Fall is here which means the school year has started(I know, it sucks). Just giving you guys a heads-up, I'm going to be a little busy. So don't expect weekly updates of this fic. Don't freak out if I haven't updated for a few weeks...or months...or a year.****

****The point is I'll be busy, but I'll still work on this story.****

****Theta: P-Please d-don't hesitate to review.****

****Nice job buddy. *_Pats Theta on the head_*****

****Epsilon: Why are _you_ so nice to him!?****

****Because he's just a kid, plus everybody finds him adorable and cute.****

****Delta: A could comparison to Theta would be a puppy or a kitten.****

****Epsilon: I can be cute!****

****Not Really.****

****GaryOkampo logging off...****

****[CONNECTION TERMINATED]****


	11. Skeletons Escape the Closet I

**A/N:[CONNECTION ESTABLISHED]**

**GaryOkampo logging on...**

**I. HAVE. RETUUURRNED!**

**I hope you guys have had a great winter vacation and that you're hungry for the return of my series. As a special gift I am giving you a double-chapter feature and don't forget-**

**Epsilon: Read**

**Delta: And review**

* * *

**Many Years Ago…**

When did it all go wrong? It was supposed to be an easy mission, just go in and get out. Now, Maine was in surgery after taking an entire pistol magazine to the throat. It's a miracle that he's even still alive.

"_Warning,_" the medical ward's A.I. announced, "_Surgery in progress. All outside entry is currently prohibited._"

All I could do was wait outside and stare through the window where they were doing the operation. An entire team of surgeons and nurses were removing bits and pieces of his armor as they clattered to the floor. I know Maine and I have had our disagreements, but a part of me still sees him as one of the very few friends I had in Project Freelancer.

"Come on buddy," I mumbled, "Hang in there."

"How is he?" a voice asked.

I turned around and saw York in his tan-and-silver armor while leaning against the wall.

"Oh, hey man," I deadpanned, "Maine isn't doing so good. He was shot in throat...six times."

"Yeesh," he cringed, "Pretty brutal."

"The medics say that even if he survives, he'll probably never talk again," I quickly changed topics to get my mind off Maine, "How's your eye?"

"Docs are _officially_ lettin' me out tomorrow," York chuckled, "But they're pretty pissed that I snuck-out of the infirmary."

I could only let out a half-chuckle, "That's what you get for trying to be part of the mission."

"Someone's gotta save your ass during an op," he replied, "Carolina can't do it forever."

"What about you?" York asks, his tone serious but also laced with concern, "You okay?"

"...I don't know," I sighed, "It just seems that everything's moving much more quickly these days. The suits, the missions, the enhancements, and now these...A.I. things," I looked towards him for advice, "York, do you think we're moving too fast?"

He stared at Maine for a couple of seconds, but then looked back at me.

"The whole world's moving too fast Wash," York stated.

He then undid the seals on his helmet, revealing the jagged red scars below his now dead eye.

"I think we're just trying our best to keep up."

* * *

**Present Day…**

The Emerald Forest.

I've never really been there before. It was odd that this place was on campus grounds, yet I never took the time to explore it. I only learned little bits from stories the other students told their friends, along with the footage from team RWBY and JNPR's initiation. It was basically an area infested with Grimm, but everyone seemed so calm about it. As if going into forest was like a walk through the park. But, they're complete fools.

They've always had their fancy mecha-shifting weapons on them. They never came into this forest unarmed with only the clothes on their back. Never during the dead of night in the rain, rather than the protection of the warm sun. Never in constant pain and fear with every step they took. Never with their right entire body bleeding, their left ankle broken, and their shoulder dislocated.

Of course they wouldn't understand, this was what I was going through.

I don't even know how long or how far I've been limping. I just kept on moving, constantly looking over my shoulder. This was what it felt like to be the hunted, this was what I felt every minute of every day. Eventually, my luck had run out as I was now trapped because of a rock face. Exhaustion had overcome me as I slid down the stone wall. I tried my best to calm myself, to rely on my training….but none of it worked. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins, cold sweat cascading down my face, and the overwhelming pain from my wounds.

"_Heh heh heh,_" a voice snickered, "_Nowhere left to run._"

I couldn't move much less run away from my pursuer. I was alone. Not a single one of my teammates insight to help me….not that they'll even try. I couldn't depend on Epsilon, his witty remarks not even providing the least bit of a distraction. My scroll was destroyed, no way to contact Ozpin or Goodwitch for help. All I had was the night sky above me, as I looked towards the shattered moon.

"I guess this what they mean," I muttered to him as much as to myself, "To finally reap what you sow."

* * *

**Earlier that day...**

If you were to ask someone to describe me in one word, "edgy" would probably be the first thing that comes to mind. However, "edgy" doesn't even come close to what I was feeling today.

It has almost been a week since Maine appeared at the docks. A part of me was glad that he hasn't done anything yet, but most of me was still on edge. I haven't had a decent amount of sleep for the past few nights, I don't know if I was either being overly cautious or I was just too scared to sleep. I would say it was the former…but lately, I'm not even sure myself.

So far the only thing that has been keeping me awake is splashing cold water onto my face. I looked into the mirror of my room's bathroom….God do I look like shit.

"_Your vitals have been rather erratic lately,_" the Counselor announced, "_Have you had trouble sleeping lately?_"

"Great," I deadpanned, "Now I'm hallucinating."

"_Would you care to share what's been troubling you?_" he calmly asked.

"No," I growled, "Beat it."

The illusion of the Counselor was then replaced with South.

"_Heh. What's the matter kid?_" she mocked, "_Afraid you're going to wet the bed again?_"

She wrapped her arm around my shoulder….feels pretty real to be a hallucination.

"_Look at you~,_" she teased, "A_cting like some brooding, badass who doesn't want to get close to anyone,_" I could feel her leaning towards my ear as she whispered, "_But I know who you _really _are. A paranoid little boy who cries for his mommy and-._"

"I said beat it!" I shouted, shaking off the imaginary arm on my shoulder.

The hallucination of South was then replaced with the one person I didn't want to see again.

"_I expected better from you,_" Carolina stated, her voice filled with disappointment, "_I expected you to face this, not run away like a coward._"

I could feel a lump in my throat as I struggled to say something, "I-I didn't run I-."

"_You ran!_" she shouted, "_All you've done is bring nothing but trouble! I had to constantly pull your ass out of the fire! You did nothing while our friends tore each other to pieces! I'm glad I never get to see your sorry ass ever again!_"

I turned away from her, focusing on my reflection to distract myself from Carolina's words.

"_You'll never escape us Agent Washington,_" a new voice announced.

I looked at the new hallucination with the mirror and saw it was Sigma. He was still the man-on-fire but he was the size of a regular person.

"_No matter how far you run, we will always find you,_" he smiled, "_But then again, that _is _all you're ever good at._"

"Shut-up," I hissed.

"_Always running away._"

"Shut-up."

"_Never taking responsibility._"

"Shut-up," I said with more ferocity.

"_You are surrounded by so many people, yet you're always alone._"

"I said shut-up!"

"_It is understandable. After all,_" he sadistically smirked, "_You don't. Trust. Anyone._"

"Shut-up Shut-up Shut-up SHUT-UP!"

That's when I snapped.

I could feel the glass shards penetrate my skin as I struck the mirror with everything I had. My fist had landed on my own reflection, a spider-web fracture covering where my face used to be. I didn't care about the pain in my hand from the shards or the stinging sensation as my sweat entered the wound or the droplets of blood from my hand colliding with the sink. I just stood there, staring at my shattered self.

Epsilon eventually formed next to the kitchen sink, "_What the hell happened!?_"

"I'm….fine."

He looked at my bleeding hand and then towards the cracked mirror. It was pretty obvious he didn't believe me.

"_Clearly,_" he deadpanned, "_Look Wash, I may let you lie to the others, but don't think you can lie to me._"

I ignored Epsilon's words as I was more preoccupied with cleaning up my mess with a white towel. Well, I guess it would be a red towel by the end.

"_You had a mental breakdown, didn't you?_"

"It was nothing," I stated, "Just some flashes."

"_Right~,_" Epsilon sarcastically agreed as he brought up a screen, "_Maybe something else has caused your health to deteriorate these past few days. Maybe your erratic heart rhythm, lack of sleep, and hallucinations are a signs of the flu season coming around._"

"I wasn't hallucinating!" I stated firmly.

"_And let's not forget easily irritated._"

I began pulling out the little shards of glass in my hand.

"_Come on Wash, why can't you just tell them?_"

My answer was silence since I was more preoccupied with disinfecting my wound.

"_I know it's difficult for you to trust them. Yet you're also secretly worried about their safety too,_" the A.I.F. stated, muttering the last part, "_But you've seen them in action and we've known these guys for months already. Why can't you just-!_"

I do NOT want to deal with this right now.

"Where's my healing unit?"

"_...In your RPL(Rocket Propelled Locker),_" he sighed, "_Oh, and your class is going to start in 15 minutes._"

Can't heal my hand, guess I'll have to bandage it for now until I can get to my healing unit.

"It's going to be a long day," I dreadfully sighed.

* * *

**In Oobleck's class…(3rd Person POV)**

Wash had made it to his history class just in time and chose to sit in the way back of the classroom. He didn't feel like being questioned by either teams RWBY or JNPR about his bandaged right hand at the moment. Speaking of the two teams, RWBY was near the front of the class all sitting together. They didn't seem to notice where he was which earned the ex-Freelancer a sigh of relief.

"_At least I'm in an elevated position,_" Wash thought to himself.

He took out his notepad and prepared himself for another one of Professor Oobleck's speedy lectures.

"Before this great time of peace, it was a time of war," Professor Oobleck lectured as he zipped around the classroom, "The four kingdoms used to fight against one another for a variety of reasons: Religion, resources, the arts, even a simple flexing of power."

Many of the students were frantically taking notes, trying to keep up with their professor. The same could be said for most of team RWBY. The team's leader was scribbling on a piece of paper, gave up the minute Professor Oobleck started talking. Weiss and Blake were paying attention, taking little notes here and there. Yang was also taking notes, though some would argue they look more like scribbles, but even she was bored to point she might slam her head on the desk.

"However, one of the key reasons the Kingdoms fought each other is territory," the Professor continued, "The more land under their control, the more resources and people at their disposal. One of these many targets of conquest is the country of Gulch. Now, as I mentioned before, Gulch is considered an 'outlier' in the world we live in. Who here can tell me what an outlier is?"

Weiss was the first to raise her hand.

"Ms. Schnee!"

"An outlier is something that is situated away from or classed differently from a main or related body," she answered, flaunting how smart she was.

"Correct! Who can tell me the reason why Gulch is 'different' from the other kingdoms."

The heiress raised her hand again.

"Anyone _else_ besides Ms. Schnee," he clarified.

Ruby and Yang let out a small giggle which earned them a glare from their teammate.

The rest of the class was silent, most probably didn't even know the answer. Realizing that no one was going to step forward, Professor Oobleck looked at one of the students for the answer

"Mr. Washington!" he pointed towards the back of the class, "I can't seem to tell if you're paying attention in my class or not. What with those sunglasses and baseball-cap you wear all the time. Care to answer the question!?"

Everyone turned their heads to the back of the classroom. The ex-Freelancer made small glances at his surroundings, trying to not let his nerves get the better of him.

"Gulch was country that had very little Dust mines; not enough to power weapons, technology, or even run their economy. Thus why the kingdoms saw it as an easy target."

"Correct you are Mr. Washington," Oobleck congratulated, "Why some would say that it got to the point that whole world was against the small country. Some nations even made temporary alliances to conquer and divide this territory. And yet, Gulch was somehow able to not only fend off multiple nations, but the creatures of Grimm as well."

Weiss raised her hand again.

"Ms. Schnee?"

"How can that be possible?" Weiss skeptically asked, "Dust is one of the most- No, THE most important substance on our planet."

"No one knows," Professor Oobleck explained, "Historians say that the people of Gulch found an alternative solution to fight back against outsiders. Others came up with their own theories which is why there are so many rumors surrounding the country nicknamed 'Blood Gulch'. It was because of the war with the 'foreigners' that the country decided to isolate itself from the rest of the world. Until recently, it was considered a rogue state until their government decided to take small steps to reconnect with the outside."

"But that still doesn't explain how such a primitive society-."

Wash quickly stood up, "What do you mean 'primitive'!?"

"Exactly what I mean," Weiss glared back at him, "Dust propelled our society and technologies generations ahead of their time. Anyone who doesn't is practically still living in the stone age."

"Oh really," Wash mocked, "Is it THAT bad that there are some people out there that aren't so close-minded."

"Excuse me!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Everyone snapped their heads towards the front of the classroom. Professor Oobleck simply stood there as he re-adjusted his glasses after his little outburst. Most of the students were slack-jawed at the notion that the Professor had such a booming voice. Even Blake didn't expect that from him.

"When you are in my classroom, prejudicial views on ANY subject is forbidden," he looked towards Weiss, "Ms. Schnee, even though you are correct on how Dust is necessary in our world today that doesn't mean there are not any alternative solutions out there," then at Wash, "And Mr. Washington, though you're view on the matter is preferable, it doesn't give you the right to bad-mouth others."

_DING DING_

"Read pages 280 to 310, your assignments will be sent your scrolls. Thatisallclassdismissed!"

Students began to gather their things as the classroom began to empty. However, Wash was the first to exit the room earning him a suspicious look from a certain team. Specifically, former White Fang member: Blake

The cat-faunus couldn't help but notice Wash's behaviour the past few days. She almost saw a lot of herself in him, before her secret came out. Could it be? Did Wash have something to hide too? It would explain his behavior towards them: never joining a conversation unless invited, barely talking about his childhood, not even sharing his hobbies. Of course people do want to keep their secrets hidden, but with Wash, it was like walking through a mine-field. Every one of her friends had to watch what they said around him. If it was one of his "sensitive topics" he would immediately become harsh and distant. Blake wasn't one for gossip, but she could tell that her friends were starting to get tired with all his secrecy. They accepted her despite her past, shouldn't he feel the same?

_Beep-beep!_

Blake's attention was then redirected towards her bag, more accurately, her scroll. She opened the communication device and found she had received a message.

She read, "How much can you trust the state of Washington?"

The cat-faunus furrowed her brow at the strange message. Who sent her this? And what did it have to do with Wash?

She scrolled down and found a video attached to it.

Blake was hesitant to open it at first, but curiosity got the better of her and activated the video.

And what she saw changed everything.

* * *

**Later…**

Both teams RWBY and JNPR were at their usual table in the cafeteria, minus Wash who was waiting in line, with Jaune's team on one side and Ruby's on the other. They talked about the usual while they ate: how their day went, how terrible classes and homework have been, Yang's occasional puns and teasing. But then a certain red-scythe wielder decided to bring up a certain topic.

"Hey guys," Ruby announced which earned everyone her attention, "Have any of you noticed something about Wash lately?"

"You mean how he has been cold, irritated, and melodramatic," Weiss replied.

"You mean like you?" Nora added with a grin which caused the heiress to frown.

"Hah, melodramatic!" Yang laughed as she high-fived the hammer-girl.

"No, I mean how he's been pretty distant lately," Ruby stated, keeping her friends on point, "He just wakes up, goes to class, eat food, and heads back to his room. Rinse-and-repeat. He barely even talks to us."

"Isn't that what he does every other day?" Jaune asked.

"Now that you mention it," Pyrrha pondered, "He has seemed a bit distracted as of late."

"And have you noticed his aversion of certain topics," Weiss added.

"It's probably something he finds difficult to talk about," Ren rebutted.

"But is it really that hard to reveal your first name?"

"Maybe his first name is something embarrassing," Jaune stated, "Like Jimmy or Lavernius."

"Come on guys," Yang said to everyone, "Wash has had our backs since day one. We're his friends, he'll let us know if anything's wrong."

"You may call him a friend," Weiss corrected, "But has he ever said the same to us?"

Everyone looked at the heiress in confusion.

"Name one time that Wash has either called us his friends or teammates?"

The two teams looked at each other as they searched through their memories of when the person in question had called them that. But then they came to a realization….he never did.

"Now that you mention it," Pyrrha said nervously, "On the day of his initiation, Wash mentioned some kind of deal he made with Ozpin. Something about working alone rather than with a team."

Weiss agreed, "Don't you find that a bit strange?"

Yang tries to change topics, "He just has trouble trusting others."

"There's a difference between trusting us and isolating us," the heiress stated.

The blonde and heiress intensely stared at each until Ruby quickly stepped in.

"He's coming!" she whispered loudly, "Act natural!"

Wash eventually arrived at the table and found everyone doing what they usually did during lunch time. However he found it odd that some of them were innocently whistling, but quickly shook it off.

"Did I miss anything?" he asked as he took a seat next to Yang.

"Hm? Oh, nothing," she answered and then noticed Wash's bandaged hand.

The team's heavy hitter looked at the wound with concern, "What happened to you?"

Yang was about to check on his hand, but Wash quickly drew it back.

"I had a little accident this morning," the ex-Freelancer answered, "Nothing serious."

"That's odd," Pyrrha asked, "Why didn't your aura heal it?"

"It's….probably a delayed reaction," he answered nervously.

Jaune chuckled, "Wash, do you even know what an aura is?"

"Aura is the manifestation of one's soul," Wash deadpanned, "Humans and Faunus are the only ones on the planet who are able to weaponize it in either offensive or defensive ways. With practice, Aura levels can differ from person to person."

"...Oh," Jaune replied, feeling defeated that he missed an opportunity to teach someone about the "force field".

"That still doesn't explain why your hand hasn't fully healed yet," Weiss stated, "Even if you don't have much practice with your Aura, it should have at least healed most of it."

Wash remained silent as he was more preoccupied with poking at his food.

"Wait," the heiress realized, "You-."

"Ya know, suddenly I don't feel like eating," he grimly announced, "I'll meet you guys at  
Goodwitch's class after lunch."

And just like that, Wash had walked off, leaving the others to stare at him with confusion, worry, and most importantly….doubt.

"If that isn't suspicious then I don't know what is," the heiress deadpanned.

"You're not helping," Yang replied.

"All I'm saying that in the past few months he's been part of our teams, we know only little bits about Wash. That is if what he told us is true," Weiss said, murmuring the second sentence.

Yang immediately stood-up, "How could you say that!? Wash has done so much for us," she looked towards her partner, "You understand, don't you Blake?"

Everyone turned to the cat-faunus, waiting to see how she'll answer.

"I'm sorry Yang," she apologized, "I have agree with Weiss on this."

Blake took out her scroll and brought up the message she received this morning.

"I received a message after Professor Oobleck's class with a video attached to it," she looked at the others wearily, "I think you should all see this."

The two teams gathered around Blake's scroll until she eventually hit play.

* * *

_The video first showed static but eventually cleared up revealing what appeared to be security camera footage. The camera was at an elevated position at an ¾-angle that was currently focused on a stranger stopping in front a pet shop's display._

* * *

"Is that Wash?" Pyrrha asked.

"I didn't know he liked cats," Ruby added.

* * *

_The video continued to play, showing the ex-Freelancer slightly playing with the kittens as he put his finger on the glass display window._

_Then suddenly, he jerked his head, "Epsilon?"_

_Wash's body immediately tensed as he was about to run into the nearby alley across the street. However, he was stopped in his tracks when a familiar girl stepped in front of him._

* * *

"It's Penny!" Ruby exclaimed.

"This must have been taken the day we went into town for the Vytal Festival," Weiss deduced.

"Whose Penny?" Jaune asked.

"She was a girl we met at the docks," Yang explained, "She's a bit….odd."

* * *

_Penny continued to block Wash's path until he eventually shoved her out of the way. He quickly drew his magnum as he entered the dark alley._

* * *

"How rude!" Nora exclaimed.

* * *

_The video then cut to more security camera footage; this time of Ruby, Weiss, Yang, and Wash; who was following behind them._

"_Why don't we split-up?" Wash suggested, "You three search one half of the town and I'll search the other."_

"_Okay," Ruby agreed, "Call us if you find Blake anywhere."_

"_Sure thing."_

_As soon as the three huntresses-in-training turned the corner, Wash ducked into a nearby alley. The camera then cut to footage of the alley, focusing on Wash at an elevated angle as he hid behind the corner. The two teams saw the ex-Freelancer take out his magnum and checked to see if it's loaded._

* * *

"Why is he checking his pistol?" Ruby asked.

None of her friends answered as they were just as confused as her. All except Weiss who continued to stare suspiciously at the footage of Wash.

* * *

_The ex-Freelancer glanced towards the wall behind him, as if there was someone whispering into his ear._

"_Calm down," he said as he re-loaded the magazine, "There's just a few things I need to find out."_

_The video then cut to static and once again the video shifted to more camera footage. This time it was of a corner street shot at a ¾ angle. Blake and Sun were about to round the corner as they were discussing their investigation into the Dust robberies. They didn't realize that a shadowy figure was following behind them, sticking to the shadows. It was then revealed that Wash was the one following them as he listened in on their conversation._

* * *

Yang turned to her partner, "What were you doing with Sun?"

"He found me after my fight with Weiss," Blake explained, "We laid low for a while and I eventually told him more about me."

"Oh~?" the blonde teased, "Do tell~."

The cat-faunus scowled at her partner's usual antics and chose not to answer.

"Quiet you!" Weiss whispered along with a slight growl, "I'm trying to watch."

* * *

"_Would I ever lie to you?" Sun playfully asked._

"_You steal food on a daily basis," Blake deadpanned._

"_At least I'm an honest thief," he quipped._

_Wash took it as his opportunity to step out of cover as he un-holstered his magnum. With one quick pull-back of the slide, he aimed his weapon at Blake._

"_Hold it right there!" he shouted._

_The camera then cut to static._

* * *

The two teams stared at Blake with shock and confusion.

Weiss was the first to ask the obvious question, "He aimed his gun at you!?"

The cat-faunus slightly fidgeted under the heiress' gaze as she tried to come up with an answer, "H-He didn't shoot….but he…."

"What?" Yang nervously asked.

"He looked….calm. I could…I don't know….sense it. He had done it before."

"Pointing his gun at teammates?" Weiss scoffed.

"No," Blake shivered slightly, "Killed."

The whole table was silent.

"What do you mean 'killed'?" Ruby innocently asked, "Don't we do the same thing with the Grimm?"

"No Ruby," the cat-faunus, "I mean-"

"Maybe we should keep on watching the video," Yang suggested, cutting off Blake.

The others looked at her oddly, but secretly agreed to continue watching the video rather than tarnish the innocent views of a 15-year-old.

* * *

_The video resumed to footage of the docks and what it was….wasn't very pretty. A battle had commenced with the White Fang fighting against a single man. But every single one of them was slaughtered in the most horrific way. One Faunus was impaled by the man's bladed grenade launcher. Another was punched so hard that you could hear his skull fracturing from the impact. Finally, an entire squad was obliterated from a barrage of grenades from the very same man who slaughtered them all._

_He let out a low growl as he took in the sight of the carnage._

* * *

Everyone cringed and shivered at the sight of such horrible violence. Yang covered Ruby's eyes to keep her from seeing. Weiss tried to maintain her composure, but she felt sick to her stomach. Even though Blake had seen the real thing, she still shivered at the image. For once in her life, Nora said nothing. She simply hid behind Ren for protection.

All they could ask themselves was: what monster could do this?

"Well…." Jaune deadpanned, trying to brighten the situation, "Now I suddenly feel like puking."

Pyrrha shivered, "Who-Who could be capable of such horrid things?"

Blake swallowed, "Wash knows."

* * *

_The footage then showed Blake and Sun fighting against the seven-foot monster. Only for the two faunus to collide with a nearby shipping crate in defeat. He was about to finish them off until someone interrupted him._

"_Hi," Wash calmly announced, carrying a gatling-gun, "Remember me?"_

_The grey Ex-Freelancer unleashed a hailstorm of bullets against the man, who appeared to only shrug them off as he backed away. The armored stranger eventually stood under a crane with a shipping crate._

"_Epsilon!" Wash commanded, "Hack the crane controls!"_

_And just like that, the crane released the crate directly on top of the stranger._

* * *

Everyone gasped at what had transpired.

"H-How did he do that?" Ruby asked, hoping someone had an answer.

"More importantly, Wash knows that-that…monster!" Weiss shrieked.

"He mentioned someone named Epsilon in an earlier clip," Pyrrha deduced, "Maybe he's his partner."

"But doesn't Wash say he prefers working alone," Blake corrected, "And even if he does have a partner, he never told us."

"That's no surprise," Weiss glared at the ex-Freelancer's image.

* * *

_Everyone expected to find their attacker crushed by the sheer weight of the metal container. But they were proven wrong when the armored giant lifted the crate like it was nothing. With one fluid motion, the stranger was able to throw the shipping crate towards Washington. The camera then cut to static once again._

_But it didn't last long when the footage then cut to after the battle. Smoke and small fires were everywhere, a warehouse was beginning to crumble, Blake and Sun were on the ground exhausted. And Wash. He was the only thing standing between them and the armored giant of a man who caused so much destruction._

_The two intensely stared at each other, Wash glaring through his sunglasses and the stranger through his helmet._

_But the sound of the sirens interrupted them._

_The armored stranger pointed his finger at Wash and then at himself with his thumb. He dragged it across his throat from left to right and then ran off._

_And then….static._

* * *

A mix of emotions had enveloped the entire table. No one was quite sure how to process what they've just seen. But they could all agree on one thing, Wash was hiding something….and they needed to find out.


	12. Skeletons Escape the Closet II

**A/N: And here is part two!**

* * *

"This day just seems to get better and better," I sighed as I punched in my locker combination.

Thank god, or whatever holy-mystical-creator-out-there, that there wasn't anyone in the locker room. So far that's the only good thing that's happened to me today. First the history lesson on Gulch, almost revealing that it was my home, then the others almost finding out I don't have an Aura.

"And to top it all off," I grunted as I unwrapped my bandages, "My hand still fucking hurts!"

Epsilon formed on the top shelf of the locker, a smirk already on his face, "_Someone's looks a bit stressed. Have you ever tried yoga?_"

I pulled out my healing unit and quickly slammed the door in his "face".

"_Geez, since when did you had such a temper?_" he asked as he once again formed next to me, "_You're acting almost like-._"

"Don't. Mention. Her," I growled.

I sat on a nearby bench and activated the equipment. The green crystal spun at regular speeds as it flashed at a soothing rhythm. I could feel my hand getting better as I witnessed the cuts on my hands begin to heal. A long needed sigh escaped my lips as I reveled in the comforting green energy along with the serene silence that filled the room.

"Finally, some peace and quiet," I sighed.

_SLAM!_ "GUESS WHO'S HERE!"

"Aaaand moments passed," I deadpanned.

Yang looked around the empty locker room, "Looks like we're the first ones here."

She and the others walked in and went to their respective lockers. I could've sworn Weiss was giving me quick glares as she prepared her weapon, but ignored it since she does that to everyone. I was more focused on stealthily putting my healing unit back in my locker without anyone noticing. So far, I was able to pull it off.

Yang opened her locker, which just so happened to be one locker to my right, and began putting on her weapons.

"So how's your hand?" she asked.

"Better now," I answered, showing my now healed wounds, "My aura kicked in after I left the cafeteria."

"That's good, that's good," she replied in her usual carefree tone.

I ignored the silence between us as I focused more on preparing my gear. Jaune and his team were the first ones to leave the locker room. Ruby told her sister that she and the others were going on ahead. I was about to exit the room as well until Yang stopped me just as I had passed her.

"Hey Wash?" she finally spoke.

"Yeah."

"We're….We're friends, right?"

I turned towards her with a confused look, "What do you mean?"

She closed her locker and looked back at me with a blank expression, "We've known each other for a few months now. So that technically makes us friends."

"I guess so," I replied, still confused at where this was going.

Yang hesitantly looked away, "But…"

"But what?"

"You've...You've never called me that."

That's when I realized what she was saying. She was wondering whether, even after all this time, I do consider Yang a friend. I told myself that there was no point in making friends at this school as there are many repercussions. Normally, I would respond with a "yes" and be done with it, but I can't seem to bring myself to say it. I can't even bring myself to lie. Come on Wash, you've done this before.

So then why?

Why can't you bring yourself to say something.

"Y-Yang….We….I-."

_Ding ding_

"_Will Professor Goodwitch's 2:30 Combat class please report to the amphitheatre. I repeat: Goodwitch's students must report to the amphitheatre immediately._"

"We….We should go," I finally answered, averting my gaze.

"...Sure," she sighed.

* * *

**In the amphitheater…**

"For today's class we will have competition style sparring matches," Goodwitch announced.

She stood in the center of the arena as we sat in the seats surrounding her. Teams RWBY, JNPR, and I sat together; but after what happened in the locker room, I decided to sit a bit further from them. It didn't take a genius to notice the tension between us so I tried my best not to think about it.

"I will select two students at random. The first match will be: Yang Xiao Long from team RWBY against Sky Lark from team CRDL."

Yang let out an enthusiastic "yes" as she cracked her knuckles with anticipation. I made a quick glance at Sky and saw that he was sweating bullets. As soon as it started, Yang began her onslaught of shotgun-powered punches towards her opponent. The match lasted only about 7 minutes which meant that some of team CRDL at least knows how to fight. The process repeated itself for most of the class. Teams RWBY and JNPR enjoyed their matches, especially if it was against each other. That was when they pushed themselves the hardest. Even Jaune did fairly well against Weiss, albeit he did lose as fast as he tried to ask her out during the match.

I started to relax as the end to the class neared. Maybe I won't have to deal with anyone else today.

"Now we have time for one more match," Goodwitch asked, "Does anyone wish to volunteer."

She scanned the entire crowd looking for some unlucky soul. I tried to make myself small enough so that she wouldn't pick me...but it seemed it _really_ wasn't my day.

"Washington. Since your initiation I haven't seen you fight against other students," the professor adjusted her glasses, "Care to test your metal."

There are days when Goodwitch seemed to almost act like a certain black freelancer I knew. The way she makes her glare look like their saying, "_Do what I say or you're dead._"

This was one of those days.

With a defeated sigh I said, "Yes ma'am."

"Good," she replied with controlled enthusiasm, "Who here wishes to be his opponent?"

A hand immediately shot up from the crowd, "I will."

I turned towards the source and saw it was from Russell.

"Very well then," Goodwitch adjusted her datapad, "The last match for today will be between Russell Thrush from team CRDL and Mr. Washington from teams RWBY and JNPR."

We both got up and headed towards the arena floor, but as I passed team RWBY something had caught my eye. Her face was blank, but I could tell from her eyes that there was something on her mind: doubt, concern, suspicion….betrayal. That last word stuck with me. I was no stranger to the concept, but to see it on the face on someone I knew, it made me feel….I don't know. Guilty? I guess you could say it was that. All I could do was look away, my sunglasses acting as the only barrier that could cover my guilt ridden eyes. I just kept walking….with the image of Yang's expression burned into my brain.

* * *

We both stood at opposite ends of the arena, preparing our respective weapons. I acted how I usually would before going into combat: being calm and collected while checking over my weapon. Russell was the exact opposite. He was antsy, pacing back and forth on his side of the arena as he twirled his daggers. Obviously he was getting "psyched-up" for the fight, that and he was probably still pissed about me giving them a week full of detention.

"Standard tournament rules apply," Goodwitch glanced at both of us, "Are both fighters ready?"

"Let's do this!" Russell pounded his chest.

I simply pulled back the slide on my battle rifle.

"Alright then," she adjusted her glasses again, "Then let the match….BEGIN!"

On her signal I immediately squeezed the trigger. Russell dodged the first volley of bullets, then the second, third, gaining ground as he lunged towards me. He tries to stab my abdomen but I sidestepped at the last second. I fired a few rounds again, but he dodged most of them. One struck him in the shoulder causing him to grunt as he fell onto a knee.

"You're gonna regret that!" he growled as he caressed his shoulder.

Witty comebacks aren't exactly my specialty so I simply aimed my weapon just in case if he tries something. Russell charged forward and chaotically slashed at me. I could feel the adrenaline pumping in my veins as I continued to dodge each of his attacks. I honestly thought I was gonna win this….until Connie made another slash.

Wait, Connie!?

She made an overhead slash which I blocked with my rifle. My breathing became rapid as I could feel her gaze pierce through my sunglasses.

"_How could you let them kill me!?_" she yelled.

I pushed her away and shook my head.

"You….You betrayed us," I muttered, grasping my head.

"_Wash, what's wrong_" Epsilon panicked.

"_Yeah Wash, what's wrong?_" South mocked as she kicked me onto my stomach, "_Need another trip to the psych ward?_"

"Wha-what's happening?" I panicked looking for my weapon.

Epsilon spoke again, "_Wash, you need to calm down!_"

_WHAM!_

I felt a kick to my stomach as it sent me rolling across the floor. My vision was blurry, but I could still make out the blade that was coming straight at me. I rolled to the side and began backing away. Every time the dagger came closer, a new face was always in it's grasp. I saw them all, every person I ever cared about as they continuously tried to kill me. All while I continued to listen to the voices.

"_Agent Washington is ready for surgery._"

"_Welcome to the team Wash._"

"_It's all your goddamn fault!_"

"_Do you think you can work with an A.I. again?_"

"No. Stop it! Stop doing this to me!"

I clutched my head in my pain, but another voice broke my concentration.

"_You know we won't stop Agent Washington._"

I looked towards the source and a chill surged through my spine.

"_We will find you Agent Washington,_" Sigma calmly announced with the Meta raising his brute shot, "_There is nowhere you can hide,_" a small smirk crossed his face, "_It's only a matter of time._"

In the spur of the moment, I probably came up with the worst idea ever. Of all time.

In one quick motion, I caught the blade. I don't mean clasping my hands together at the last second, I mean allowing a massive dagger to enter from the palm of my hand….and out the other side.

Everything seemed like a dream after that. I could hear noises; but everything seemed so muffled, people started to look like black silhouettes, the amphitheater became a blur. The only thing that was clear was the image of the man right in front of me. The man who was the cause of all this. A single individual amongst a network of people who were after me. He is the reason I was like this. Why I couldn't move on. Why I was so….damaged.

I looked at my bleeding hand again. The blade clearly went through-and-through with little droplets of my blood dripping from the tip. My once black glove was soiled with the crimson liquid. At that point, all I could feel was these emotions I kept inside. The very same emotions I tried to keep in check. My blood boiled for action….for revenge. To the point I was seeing nothing but red.

* * *

**Yang POV**

Ever since I met him he has always been hesitant about opening up to other people. He was withdrawn, but would say what needed to be said and nothing more. He would smile when appropriate, but it either resembled more of a smirk or it was forced. I thought it was different between us. I thought he considered me more of a friend than the others. I thought he could at least tell me.

But I was wrong.

He doesn't trust anyone, he doesn't trust me.

"Are both fighter's ready?" Professor Goodwitch looked at both ends.

Russell shouted with enthusiasm, pounding his chest for emphasis. A poor attempt at showing how tough he is if you ask me. Wash on the other hand was just as quiet as he usually was. Still hiding behind that ski-mask, hoodie, baseball cap, and sunglasses to cover his face. I never cared much about why he always wore that stuff, but after seeing that video, I'm starting to understand why.

Professor Goodwitch began the match and Wash made the first move. Russell dodged some of his rounds and began slashing when he got close. Wash was able to dodge and even land a shot to his shoulder. Of course that just pissed off Russell even more. He continued his attack and Wash dodged one after the other. But, something was wrong. He was starting to move slower and kept shaking his head. Russell took it as an opportunity to circle around Wash and kick him in the back. He didn't try to get back up, he just kept on clutching his head. Mr. Mohawk didn't care though, he just delivered another kick to his stomach. Something wasn't right about Wash, he looked….scared. I know almost getting stabbed is heart-pounding, but he looked like he was having a panic attack.

And then it happened.

I didn't care who was the first to scream, all I saw was Wash's hand. Even with a dagger clearly sticking out of it, he just stared at his hand. He didn't even yell in pain as he pulled it out and then tossed it aside as if it was nothing. He looked back at Russell….and that's when things got serious. Wash let out a battle cry so loud that I didn't know he even had it in him. He tackled Russell to the ground and just started punching him. Those punches weren't coordinated, they were motivated with pure rage. Goodwitch tried to tell him to stop, but he just kept wailing on Russell's face. Pyrrha was the first to act when she threw her spear towards Wash. I was about to yell at her to stop, but Wash had already dodged it. We all leapt from our seats and into the arena. Weiss was at Russell's side, his face swollen along with blood leaking from his nose and mouth. But, that was the last thing on my mind.

We slowly tried to surround Wash, but he was acting….different. He was frantically looking at his surroundings as he realized he was trapped.

"_**S-Stay back!**_" he hissed.

Ruby was right next to me, "What's wrong with his voice?"

Jaune slowly approached him from the side but Wash shot at the exact spot where his foot would be.

"_**Don't come any closer!**_" he pointed his pistol at each of us, "_**I'm warning you.**_"

"Easy there Wash," Pyrrha calmly answered behind him, "Let's try to calm down and talk about this."

"_**LIES!**_" he yelled, "_**You're lying to me! You're here to take me back aren't you!? Back to him!**_"

"Him?" Blake asked, "Wash, who is 'him'?"

"_**HIM!**_" he pointed the pistol at himself, "_**The one who did this to me!**_"

"Wash, we don't understand what you're saying," I added.

His head jerked so fast that I almost thought he snapped his own neck.

"_**You!**_" he stammered, "_**No….no no no no no NO! This can't be happening….she's not….she's not supposed to be here,**_" he began punching the side of his head, "_**No! That isn't her! She's dead! But why does she still haunt me!? Why can't I just be left alone!**_"

He then pointed his pistol at me, "_**You did this to me! All of you!**_"

Wash was about to pull the trigger until a bolt of lightning had struck him in the chest. My eyes widened in shock with my breath caught in my throat. I was about to run to him until-.

"Don't touch him!" Professor Goodwitch commanded…..her riding crop still smoking.

With a flick of her weapon, she placed it back at her side and took out her scroll.

"Professor Ozpin, we have a situation."

"..."

"Two injured students, one of them is Washington."

"..."

"Understood, and of what of the others?"

"..."

"Sir, are you sure that's wise?"

"..."

"Very well then," she looked towards the rest of us, "The medics will be here shortly. You can follow them to the infirmary."

None of this made any sense. What was wrong with Wash and what was he rambling about? What did Professor Goodwitch and Ozpin know?

We all just looked at each confused and simply did what we were told.

* * *

_Fire and smoke._

_That was all I could hear and smell. Grips like iron kept my arms and legs in their place. I could feel my hair being pulled back from one of those hands as they made me watch. Made me listen. I can hear the screams, but could never understand them. All I could make out was one word. A single word that has haunted me to this day._

"_DAVID!"_

* * *

"_Come on man,_" a voice yelled, "_Wake up!_"

My eyelids feel heavy. I think it actually took all my strength to open them just a crack. Everything was the same dark-shade of orange so that meant I was still wearing my glasses. I expected to be greeted with a ceiling, but instead with the "face" of certain A.I. fragment.

"_Well look who's awake,_" Epsilon stated, "_Have a good nap?_"

I immediately sat up at the sight of him, "Epsilon? What….What happened to you?"

"_What, this?_" the A.I. motioned to his armored form, "_I had to dust off this old thing after what happened earlier. You know how long it took me to program that 'human' form!?_"

"Earlier?"

Epsilon tilted his helmet covered head, "_You….You don't remember?_"

"Remember what?" I rubbed my eyes.

I grimaced when I realized my hand was wrapped in bandages….again.

"I believe Epsilon is referring to the….'incident' in the amphitheater."

I looked towards my right and saw Professor Ozpin in the doorway, sipping from his usual mug of coffee. On the surface he looked like his usual "mysterious" self, but his eyes clearly showed that he was not happy.

"Wha-What happened?"

He took out his scroll and played a video, "You tell me?"

I furrowed my brow at his response and looked at the footage. My face paled at the sight at what I had done. Beating Russell to a meaty paste, almost shooting Jaune in the foot, if Goodwitch didn't stop me….then I would have….I shuddered at the image.

I could feel Ozpin glaring at me, "Care to explain why one of my students is in the emergency room?"

"I-I don't know," I stuttered, "We were having a sparring match….and then I saw….I saw something."

"Something?" the professor questioned.

"Someone I knew from Project Freelancer," I massaged my temple from the lingering headache, "Then these….flashes of everyone from the project started appearing. It felt like I was fighting every single one of them."

Ozpin didn't even flinch, he just asked, "How often has this happened?"

"Just this morning," I answered plainly.

Suddenly, my mind came up with the perfect explanation. Why didn't I see it before? It was obvious.

"Of course!" I've leapt from my bed, "It's the A.I.'s!"

The professor furrowed his brow, "The one's from Project Freelancer?"

"Who else could it be!?" I replied, "Ever since I encountered Maine at the docks I've had this feeling that they've been planning something. This must be it," I looked towards the professor, "Ozpin, my location has been compromised. I have to move to a secure location."

One would expect not only a hunstman, but also the headmaster of huntsmen academy, to fully understand the situation. But, he just stood there. Sipping from the same damn mug of coffee while looking at me like I was crazy.

"...There is another explanation," he finally answered.

He stepped towards the window, gazing at the storm clouds forming overhead, "It's quite clear that you haven't yet told your teammates about your past."

My fists were clenched, "What does that have-?"

"It has everything to do with it!" he looked back at me, "You've spent months with your teammates yet you have told them nothing. Not even where you are from," the intensity in his voice increases, "There are benefits when it comes to trusting others. One of which is to be free from this stress your enduring."

"Stress!?" I gawked, raising my injured hand, "You think this!? Is because I'm stressed."

"You can't shed the possibility."

I scoffed, "I can't believe this."

"And even if what you say is true. They would have to get past an academy full of trained huntsmen and huntresses. Now is the time to put your trust in your friends."

"You know what?" I glared, "If you're not gonna help me, then I'll handle this myself."

I grabbed my baseball cap from the nightstand and stomped towards the exit. I had to leave this place before the Meta could find me. There wasn't any time to say goodbye, all I cared about was getting to my room. But it seemed this day wouldn't even let me walk through a simple doorway, for I was swarmed by my so called "friends". I stared back at the headmaster, but he innocently shrugged his shoulders. Yeah right.

"Are you okay?"

"What happened back there?"

"What's up with your hand?"

I said nothing and just shoved through them all, ignoring all of their questions.

"_Wash, if there were any better time to tell them…this is it._"

I gritted my teeth as I tried to keep myself from being overwhelmed by the voices. But they just wouldn't stop. My lungs just wanted to roar at them, to tell them to shut the hell up and let me be. I would have if a certain someone hadn't grabbed my hand.

"Wash, where are you going?" Yang asked.

I just kept looking forward, not even bothering to look back.

"To my room," I answered, "...I'm leaving."

"Leaving?" Ruby asked, "Where are you going?"

I pulled my hand away, "I'm leaving Beacon."

Even if I wasn't looking at them, I could probably tell that there eyes were like saucers at my answer.

Jaune was the first to ask, "But….why?"

"I….I can't-."

"You what?" Weiss glared, "You can't say!? It's time that you told us what the hell is going on!" she demanded, "We've all been patient these past few months, waiting for you open-up, but all you've told us is little to nothing," her voice was colder than ice, "That is if anything you told us was true."

I turned my head so fast that I almost felt my neck pop, but the heiress was clearly more offended than I was.

"Weiss," Yang hissed.

"No!" she shrieked, "He nearly beat Russell to death! Sure he may be a scoundrel, but he didn't deserve to have ten tubes just to keep him breathing," Weiss' glare intensified, "If you expect us to take your words to heart than you better start trusting us."

* * *

**Que: RVB OST - Outpost Sunset-Ghost that Linger(Trocadero)**

* * *

At that moment, I just lost it, "Trust? TRUST!? You expect me….to trust any of you!? A guy who lied his way into Beacon, an heiress who thinks the world revolves around her, an ex-terrorist, and a kid who thinks this is a game!? You expect me to believe that my 'teammates' can watch my back? Well guess what….I already did."

My voices was practically bouncing off the walls, but I didn't care, "I had people I trusted, friends, some I almost considered family; but you know what happened? They lied, they stole, they tore each other to pieces. How can you….How can _any_ of you expect me to trust a bunch of kids, when I couldn't even trust those who were closest to me?"

I could see the look on all their faces; they were both shocked, offended, angry, you name it. No words were exchanged between us for what felt like hours. Eventually, Weiss turned on her heel….and walked away. The others were soon to follow until it was only me and Yang left in the hall.

"Well," I finally said, "Aren't you going with them?"

"Before I go," she crossed her arms, "I want to know."

"Know what?"

"The answer to my question, from earlier."

I maintained my gaze, but remained silent.

Her eyes gazed straight into my sunglasses as she asked me the one question on her mind, "After all this time, did you….did you ever consider me your friend."

There it was again. That twisting feeling in my gut that made me sick to the point of clenching my fists. The hesitation in my throat kept me from answering. And just like before, I looked away.

"No," I answered, "I never thought of you as my friend."

She was silent for a few moments until she let out a long sigh, "...I see."

In one swift motion, my jaw made contact with probably the hardest fist I ever felt in my life. I tumbled to the ground, massaging my bruised face, shocked that Yang would do this.

"That….was for _my_ friends."

No other words were exchanged as she turned away and walked off like the rest. I should be relieved that I was finally alone, but there was nothing. Just me, an A.I. fragment, and the now empty hallway.

* * *

**End: RVB OST - Outpost Sunset-Ghost that Linger(Trocadero)**

* * *

With everything that has happened, I found myself trudging through Beacon's hallways rather than sprinting towards the safety of my room. My mind kept replaying what I said to them even if it was just a few minutes ago. The rain was pattering against the window and I could even make out the distant sounds of thunder. I looked towards a nearby window and examined the now forming bruise on my cheek. Little droplets cascaded down my reflection, there was even a lightning bolt in the distance.

Epsilon crossed his arms as he formed behind me, "_Well, I hope your proud of yourself._"

"..."

"_You've not only single handedly pushed away the only people who were willing to talk to you, but you also ruined your…our second chance at a fresh start._"

"..."

"_What? You're not going to say anything? You're not at least going to try to defend yourself? That you did this for their own safety? That they're better off not knowing who you are?_"

"What would you have me say?" I sighed, "That I was born in a land that was considered a rogue state, that I joined a military program where I was used as a weapon, then said program installs an unstable A.I. in my brain and I lose my sanity? Do you honestly think they'll accept after they hear all that!?"

Epsilon tilted his head, "_You can't just….let it go?_"

"You're in my head," I said looking away, "You of all….things….should know that I can't just forget about my past. It's just easier to have them hate me rather than drag them into my problems."

"_Yeah, well. One of these days, you're going to….reap….what you….sow…._"

I gave a confused look towards Epsilon who was staring blankly down the hallway. I followed his direction and saw shadowy figure in the distance. A well-timed lightning strike lit up the hallway, revealing a familiar set of white military-grade armor.

I gave an agitated glare towards the hallucination, "Seriously? Now you show up? Why can't I just get a decent break from you!"

"_Wash that's-_"

"You know what?" I pointed at the A.I. fragment, "I blame you for this."

"_Wash that's not-_"

"No! I'm tired of dealing with these hallucinations. I just want to go to my room, pack my things, and leave this place."

"_WASH IT'S-!_"

_WHOOM_

A bright blue light had enveloped the hall….a _very_ familiar blue light.

"...Epsilon?" I asked around the hall, but heard nothing.

There it was again, that chill that traveled through my spine, only this time it felt different. Then another familiar sound echoed through the hall. It was beeping noise that was occurring at a slow rhythm. As I craned my neck towards the source, the noise grew progressively rapid. My eyes eventually fell on what I thought what was a hallucination of Maine, but he was still there….playfully tossing my emp gauntlet into the air.

I was about to charge, but he was too fast. I was already lifted into the air with my throat being crushed. Clawing at his gauntlet did nothing as he grabbed my scroll from my coat pocket and crushed it like it was foil.

"_You have no idea what kind of trouble you are in,_" the voice of Omega snickered, "_Mwha ha ha ha._"

With that, I was tossed through the windows towards the grassy floor below. I must have fallen about two stories, how I survived that without breaking my back I will never know. Right now that is the last thing on my mind. Scrambling to my feet, I began sprinting towards the forest, hoping to lose my pursuer. I eventually made it to the cliffside as I frantically scanned my surroundings. I almost thought I had lost him until I heard that familiar hissing sound.

"_Where do you think you're going?_" he laughed.

I quickly turned my head and saw Maine standing there, with a certain A.I.'s voice being projected through his helmet. He slowly began to march forward while I backed away.

"Omega," I glared, "How the hell are you still online?! My EMP should have taken you out!"

"_You mean _temporarily _take me out,_" he pointed out, "_We both know that you wouldn't want to risk destroying the only defense you have against the Director. So I simply hid in the school's system at a safe distance and just….popped right in when the others decided to take a little nap._"

"Why!? Why risk damaging the one thing you're searching for?"

"Oh...that," he began to laugh, "We needed to get you alone, so that you couldn't call your 'friends' for help. Oh, wait….that's right. You don't have any friends."

My eyes widened in realization, "I was right! You were the ones making me see those hallucinations."

After I took my last step, I began to hear a sound, like gears that were turning. I looked down and saw I was standing on a platform of some kind. The familiarity eventually hit me like a car as I realized what I was standing on.

"Oh….fu-"

_WHOOOSSH!_

* * *

And so here I am, literally trapped between a rock and hard place. My shoulder was dislocated from being launched hundreds of feet in the air, not to mention my ankle was twisted from trying to land, my legs were tired from all the running, and I was bleeding like gasoline from a broken engine.

"_Heh heh heh,_" Omega snickered, "_Nowhere left to run._"

I took in one last breath. I told myself: if I was going to die, than I may as well as die fighting. It's cheesy, but what can I say….I'm melodramatic.

I let out the loudest battle cry I could muster as I charged towards Maine. But fate seemed to not allow me that chance. I felt a powerful punch to my stomach and I bet a few of my ribs were shattered. I fell on all fours, clutching the dirt in pain, while Omega simply laughed.

"_Washington._"

That voice….it couldn't be.

"Delta?" I looked up and found the familiar green A.I. fragment

"_Yes, Agent Washington,_" he answered, "_It is me._"

This didn't make sense. If Delta was here than….

York.

"Delta where's-!?"

"_I'm sorry Agent Washington,_" he looked away in shame, "_York is dead._"

I clutched the muddy ground after hearing the news. One of the most important people in my life was dead and I wasn't there for him.

"_The most logical action for you right now is to surrender the Epsilon A.I.,_" Delta continued, "_It is….your only option._"

My eyes widened at what he had just told me. Delta was working with the Meta, he didn't care what he was doing was wrong. He didn't even argue with Omega.

"You son of a-!" I couldn't even finish the sentence, "York considered you his best friend! How could you-GAHH!?"

My face made contact with the wet mud. I could only turn my head slightly to get a glimpse of Omega….kneeling in front of my face

"_Funny,_" he smirked under his helmet, "_That you'd scold someone for abandoning their friend even though you don't have any of your own. You know earlier you said that we were the ones that were making you lose it. But you wanna know something funny,_" he began to laugh, "_We didn't have to do shit! Sure I planned to just pop inside your head and tear it apart. But all we did -he he he- was show up at the docks, along with some other things. Those hallucinations, your terrible attitude, that was all on you -HA HA HA!_"

A part of me wanted to retort with some catchy one-liner or even try to struggle out of this damn mud. But I couldn't. All I felt was shame, regret, and guilt. Epsilon….Everyone, they were right. I was so stubborn on not trusting anyone, that I thought I could handle things on my own. Instead, I'm all alone in the middle of the forest with my face in the dirt.

* * *

**Que: Blood-C OST = Hakai no Wa**

* * *

"_Now that we're alone,_" the grip on my neck tightened, "_It's time to play doctor._"

I looked behind with my one eye that wasn't facing the ground. Maine was preparing to pull Epsilon's A.I. chip straight from my neck. The sight alone made my veins as cold as ice. I tried to escape his grip, but I couldn't do a thing.

"No, you can't do this!" I begged, "You can't just remove an A.I. chip that was neurally implanted!"

His gloved fingers wrapped around the small chip in my neck which only increased the sense of fear.

"STOP-AAAAAAHHHHH!"

You know that famous phenomenon: your life flashes before your eyes when you're about to die. That was happening to me, only I didn't just see it, I experienced it….all over again.

"_Agent Washington is ready for surgery._"

"_Welcome to the team._"

I felt the needle entering my neck, the pride from joining Project Freelancer

"_Wake the fuck up Wash!_"

"_Ingenuity and Adaptability are admirable traits._"

The confusion from Connie's attitude, the Director's acceptance of reckless tactics.

_Smoke and fire rising from a small building._

_A crowd cheering at the sight with a little boy forced to witness it all._

No. No, not this! Don't make me remember this!

"_Make him watch!_"

"_DAVID!_"

STOP IT! That's not my name!

"_DAVID!_"

"_WASH!_"

"_DAVID!_"

"_WASH!_"

That's not my-! Not my-. What was my name!

"_WASH!_" "_DAVID!_"

"_WASH!_" "_DAVID!_"

"_WASH!_" "_DAVID!_"

"_WASH!_" "_DAVID!_"

"_WASH!_" "_DAVID!_"

Two names. Two people. Which…Which one am I? Who am I!

_An image of woman stands before me. She's too blurry to make out, but she's wearing a military uniform. She playfully swats away the camera._

"C_ome on, stop it, put that thing down._"

"_You're going to make me late, they're waiting for me._"

Who is this? Why does she look….familiar?

"_Don't say goodbye. I hate goodbyes._"

_Darkness_

* * *

**A/N: So what do you think of me adding a soundtrack that isn't from either web series? Like it? Hate it? Let me know in a review!**

**GaryOkampo logging off...**

**[CONNECTION TERMINATED]**


	13. Memory is the Key I

**A/N: [CONNECTION ESTABLISHED]**

**GaryOkampo logging on...**

**This has probably been the fastest I have ever written a chapter and updated.**

**Epsilon: And yet you still haven't made me look like a badass.**

**It'll come.**

**Omega: That means never. Mwhahahaha**

* * *

Whenever I'm stressed or really REALLY pissed off, I find some activity to blow off some steam. Usually I would "spar" against some perv who thinks he can freely touch my ass or do the usual: go to Junior's bar and _probably_ tear it down. Well, since I can't just beat up some random guy and Junior is still rebuilding his business, the gym is the next best thing. Specifically me….and a heavy punching bag.

The poor guy took my punches one after the other, I didn't even bother taking off Ember Cecilia. Though I guess that was a bad idea since my last punch sent shotgun pellets into the bag, tearing it in half. But fuck it anyway, I'm just so pissed off! I can't believe after all this time he still didn't trust us.

"_You expect me…to trust any of you!?_"

I mean, what right did he have to judge us like that!? Sure some of us have had our problems, but we've overcome them. What makes him think we'll betray him like that!?

"_The last time I trusted someone…I was shot in the back._"

Oh, right…that.

I let out a tired sigh as I ran a hand through my hair, ignoring the sand cascading from the top-half of the broken workout equipment. I eventually just sat on a nearby bench exhausted.

"You okay?"

I looked towards the voice and saw my sister.

"I'm fine Ruby," I motioned to the dangling top-half of the bag, "Had to let out steam."

"You sure?" she suspiciously narrowed her eyes at me.

I couldn't help but chuckle at that face. She almost looked exactly like mom…her mom.

"I'm fine sis, really," I answered again, but she took a seat right next to me.

"..."

"..."

"I'm sorry Yang," she started, "I'm sorry that you lost your friend."

"He's not my friend," I frowned, "We…We never were."

Her eyes widened, "But I thought-."

"Well you thought wrong!" I yelled.

She backed away at my outburst. Shit, now I'm starting to act like him.

I sat back down in a slump and just stayed quiet. Ruby eventually returned to her spot and just thinned out the wrinkles on her skirt to pass the time. We were quiet with each other for what felt like a couple of hours rather than minutes.

"You remember what I said when we first came to Beacon?" Ruby asked.

"That you exploded a hole in the school on your first day?" I teased.

"Well I did say that," she giggled, "But I mean what I said in the locker room, before initiation."

My memory isn't really that good, "Uuuhhh…."

"I said that I didn't need to meet new people to grow up," she smirked.

"This is different Ruby," I replied, "You're just a kid and Wash is an adult. He's-"

"Wait!" she put her hand up in my face, "Let me finish. You know that making friends was pretty difficult for me, even at Signal. When I came to Beacon, I thought I couldn't make any new ones. Weiss proved my point," she looked down at the ground, "When we first met she was mean, stuck up, crabby, and a complete jerk. I honestly couldn't believe that she was going to be my partner for the next four years," Ruby then let out a smile, "But now, she's probably one of my closest friends. And even though we sometimes get into fights and disagreements with each other. I know that she thinks of me as her best friend too," she mumbled, "Even if she denies it at first."

I gave my sister a confused look, "Ruby, where are you going with this?"

She sighed, "What I mean is that even though Wash was….pretty harsh back there. I know that he just needs someone. Someone to talk too," she then glanced at me, "And I think that someone is you."

"_I never thought of you as my friend._"

A frowned crossed my face at the memory and I slumped forward again, "I'm not so sure about that."

"Hey," she lightly slapped my arm, "What happened to that energetic, light-hearted big sister I know and love? Ya know, the one who pushed me into the pool when I was five in order to teach me how to swim."

I snickered at that innocent moment from our childhood, "You eventually learned didn't you."

"Yeah, right" she rolled her eyes, "After splashing for my life for 10 minutes."

I put my arm around my baby sister and brought her into a hug. She smiled and returned the embrace. I kissed the top her head, feeling so proud at how much my sister has matured these past few months. I just know that she'll make a great huntress someday. Just like mom.

_CRASH!_

We quickly broke apart at the noise.

"What was that!?" Ruby exclaimed.

"I don't know," I ran to the exit, "Come on!"

As we stood in the doorway of the gym; we were greeted with the sight of light patter from the storm, muddy grass, low bearing mists, and silence.

"It's quiet," I narrowed my eyes, "_Too_ quiet."

"Really?" Ruby deadpanned, slightly annoyed at the cliche phrase.

I shrugged at her response. What can I say, I like the classics.

Ruby looked out towards the mist and narrowed her own eyes, "I think…I see someone."

"You do?" I followed her gaze, but saw nothing, "Where?"

"There!" she pointed, "That guy…at least…I think it's a guy and he's…limping?"

We then heard a loud thud nearby. We didn't know what it was until we saw another figure in the mist. It was a man, from it's shape and form, but the guy was almost seven-feet-tall. But that wasn't what grabbed my attention. What we really caught my eye was his helmet, that domed helmet with a golden-yellow visor that covered the entire front of his face. I could've sworn he made a quick glance at us, but he just started walking as soon as he hit the ground. It suddenly hit me that I remembered where I saw this guy and Ruby seemed to catch on as well.

She looked at me with widened eyes, "Isn't that-?"

"Yeah," I glared at the stranger, but quickly put my hands on my sister's shoulders, "Ruby, go get the others. Let them know that there's an intruder on campus."

"What about you?"

I looked away slightly as I couldn't tell her what I was going to do next. But Ruby wouldn't be a good sister if she couldn't tell that something was wrong.

"Yang, no!" she realized, "You saw what that guy did in the video. He'll tear you to pieces."

"I know that," I answered, "But because of that video, I…_We_ both know what'll happen if we let this guy run freely."

I was about to run off, but Ruby continued to hold my hand.

"Just…promise me," her eyes pleaded, "Promise me that you'll stay safe."

"Hey," I ruffled her hair, "You know me sis, I'm always careful. Besides," I winked, along with my trademark smirk, "I have my _special_ gift."

My little sister gave me an affirmative nod and disappeared in a storm of rose petals. I took that as my cue to follow this guy, wherever he was going. Thankfully the chase wasn't that long, since he was already at Beacon's cliffs. I was about to yell at him, but he had already leaped into the forest before he could hear me. Whoever he was chasing, they were somewhere in that place. I stepped on one of the platforms and prepared to launch. I would have had a case of deja vu if I hadn't forgot my aviator sunglasses. Oh well, can't really think about that now as I'm already in the air.

Even though the sensation of the wind flowing through my hair and landing safely by hopping from tree to tree was great, I knew I had to be on my guard the second my feet touched the ground. I could probably clear this place out like the badass I am, but I'm still in Grimm territory. With a flick of the wrist, I could feel Ember Cecilia wrap around my forearm. I cautiously walked through the forest, listening to my surroundings, and was met with only the sounds of the crickets and owls. Like I said before, it was too quiet.

That is until my eye caught something in the ground. It was a shoe print, or a boot-print to be specific. Being a huntress isn't only about fighting, sadly, we have to learn to study and track our prey. I wasn't the best, mostly because I slept through those classes, but I can do the basics. Like I said earlier, this person was wearing boots, telling gender and weight aren't my specialty. The left print showed drag patterns which meant that they were injured, probably from being launched into the forest. This meant they had to rely on their right foot to move around. Knowing I made enough of an observation, I began to follow the tracks.

As I got closer to a nearby rock face, I heard something.

"No, you can't do this!"

My body froze when I heard his voice. It wasn't the same calm, collected, or even angry tone from before…he was scared. Wash was scared. At that, I just started running towards the source, ignoring the other words he was spewing out.

When I arrived, it was already too late.

"STOP-AAAAAAHHHHH!"

Wash's scream rang through my ears when that armored freak grabbed his neck. My legs froze at the sight in front of me, as if they were making me watch. At first I thought this guy was going to strangle him, but that would have been a merciful act. No, instead this giant in armor pulled something _from_ Wash's neck. His screams intensified as the guy in armor struggled to remove whatever was in there. When he finally got what he wanted, the screaming stopped. There was nothing, just the stranger holding whatever he took while hissing victoriously. Wash was just laying there, mouth agape as if his brain had just…shut-down.

Some kind of holographic figure wearing black armor appeared near the item as the stranger examined it.

"_Finally,_" he said, "_We finally have it._"

Another hologram appeared only this time his armor glowed green.

"_We must escape immediately,_" he warned, "_I detect a hostile close by and 7 more incoming. They will reach our location in 12 minutes and 27 seconds._"

"_Let them come_," the black one laughed as he cracked his holographic knuckles, "_I can take 'em._"

"_Need I remind you that we agreed to be covert in our activities,_" the other impassively replied, "_The most logical action is to leave. We already have what we came for._"

The black armored one jerked his head, "_Screw you and your-!_"

"_Need I also remind you that he will be _very _displeased that you disobeyed his orders when he comes back online._"

The holograms stared at each other intensely until the black one relented.

"_Fine,_" he spat.

The armored stranger picked up Wash by the neck again, dangling like a ragdoll.

"_At least they'll take out the trash._"

Time seemed to slow down as he just tossed Wash aside as if he was nothing. I stared as he flew through the air, unable to pry my eyes from the sight. As he neared the ground, that was when my legs started to work again. With one blast from my gauntlets I launched myself in order to catch him at the last second.

"Wash!" I shook him, "WASH!?"

His skin was almost ice cold and his pulse was barely there.

"Come on you big jerk," I shook him again, my own voice slightly shaking, "You can't just brush me off and then slip into a coma. Not after what you said to me."

The green figure started flashing red, "_Alert, hostile detected! Recommend immediate evacuation from the premise._"

"_Yeah, yeah,_" the black figure replied nonchalantly, "_We got what we want, leave that failure with her._"

I looked towards those two…things. My blood boiled at the sight of them, especially the holographic image in black. How dare he label Wash as…as…trash. I felt that familiar anger build-up in me again and I needed someone to let it out on. There was no punching bag in sight this time, so the armored psycho will have to do. I put Wash down as gently as I could.

"You," I glared at the monster who did this, "YOU BASTARD!"

I could feel the air rush past me as I launched myself straight at him. As a well deserved fist met the center of his faceplate, I fired a shotgun blast for good measure. The guy stumbled back and I delivered another to his stomach. Every time my anger subsided it just comes right back, stronger than before.

"HOW!"

I punched him again

"DARE!"

And again.

"YOU!"

And again.

"DO!"

And again.

"THAT!"

And again, sending him towards the rock face.

"TO!"

This was it, his back literally towards the wall. One final punch would end it.

"MY-!"

"_I never thought of you as my friend._"

Again. My body froze again at the memory of what he last said to me. I mean, why was I doing this? Why am I so angry? I would only get like this if it happened to Ruby, or Blake, or Weiss, or any of my-.

_WHAM_

"GAH!" I grunted, feeling the sudden punch to my gut.

The armored psycho grabbed me by my jacket and delivered a mind numbing headbutt with his helmet. I was seeing nothing but stars and my ears were ringing at this point as I stumbled backwards. I could hear him hiss sadistically at my pain. But, a kick to my stomach had sent me flying before I could regain my bearings. I skidded against the ground until I collided with something soft. My vision was still blurry but I could make out that it was Wash who caught me, well sort of. He's still in a coma.

"_Heh heh heh._"

I looked towards the laughter's source and saw the guy arming his bladed grenade launcher as he marched forward until he towered over us. I still can't see straight after that headbutt and I'm exhausted from all that punching.

The black hologram appeared again, "_You know what?_" he aimed his weapon towards my head, "_I'm sure he won't mind if I at least kill one of these brats._"

"Why-Why so close?" I coughed, "Afraid you'll miss?"

"_Oh, I won't miss,_" the image chuckled, "_In fact, there'll be-_"

_VROOM_

"_Oh come on!_" he growled, "_Who the hell-!?_"

That sound, I recognize that sound. That's from a…a motorcycle.

My theory was proven right when a motorcycle(at least I think it was) flew from the bushes delivering the back wheel straight into the psycho's helmet. But it didn't end there. The driver made sure to rev their engine at the last second, causing the back wheel to grind against his faceplate.

The motorcycle then skidded to a stop as it touched the ground. My vision started to clear up and I eventually got a clear look at him…her. She wore the same black color armor as the hologram only hers looks more "upgraded".

"_You!_" the hologram growled.

The rider quipped, "Yeah, me."

She drove straight at the guy while he charged forward as well. She then drifted at the last second, sending dirt into his face, stunning him. She then did a wheelie and spun the front wheel into him. She continued to do a variety of stunts I couldn't comprehend. It was like the motorcycle _was_ her weapon. If I wasn't on the ground in pain, suffering from a major headache, I would ask her for driving lessons. She once again rode straight into him while he was dazed. I didn't know what to think after that; the moment she drove on top of him like a ramp, flip backwards in mid-air with both her bike and her body, and still rev her engine after she landed. One word described it perfectly: badass.

"_Grraagghh!_" the hologram howled, "_You bi-!_"

"Hey Omega," she taunted, "I think you dropped something."

The giant looked at his hand and growled when he realized it was empty. He looked frantically around and spotted what he was looking for. He took a step forward but a trail of bullets stopped him in his tracks. I looked towards the motorcycle and saw the driver with a sub-machine gun in her hand.

"Uh uh uh uh," the woman teasingly swayed her head back and forth.

The giant growled, but was interrupted by more voices.

"I heard something!"

"Was that gunfire!?"

"I think it came from over there."

I recognized those voices anywhere and I couldn't be more relieved. I tried to stand up, but my legs gave out from under me and fell to my knees. All I could do was keep on watching the stand off between two of the strongest people I've seen.

"Go ahead," the driver glared, "Stay and fight, but we both know that even you have your limits."

The black hologram called Omega glared back at her, "_Don't get cocky, we'll be back. But you and me,_" he pointed at her and then himself, "_We've got some catching up to do…old friend._"

After that, he vanished and the armored guy sprinted into the woods. As soon as he was gone, the woman got off her bike and picked up whatever was the cause of all this.

"H-Hey," I weakly stood up, "That was…amazing, what you did back there."

She looked back at me, but continued examining whatever was in her hand. Rude much.

"Goddammit!" she cursed, "I can't believe this."

"What?"

She let out a sigh, "Do you know him?"

"Who?"

"Him!" she pointed at Wash's body, "The vegetable."

Oh, she did not just-!

"What did you say!?"

"Sorry," she put her hands in mock surrender, "I meant, are you acquainted with Wash."

"Wait! You know-!?"

"Just answer my damn question!"

"Y-Yeah," I stuttered, slightly ticked, "We know each other."

"Good," she walked towards me and placed the item in my hand.

I didn't really get a good look at it since she curled my fingers to cover it.

"Listen, I can't stay for long. I need you to hold onto this, give it to Ozpin, tell him 'memory is the key'. You got that?"

"Hold on-!"

"Do you understand?"

Even if I was met with my reflection, there was something about her voice that showed the seriousness of the situation. Either way, she was determined to hear my answer.

"Y-Yeah. Yeah, I got it," I answered, "Memory is the key."

Just what I needed, a goddamn riddle.

"Good," she nodded, "I've gotta-."

Oh, no way am I going to let you go.

"Hold on!" I grabbed the top of her hand, "You're going to tell me what the hell is going on!? Who are you? What was that guy and those glowing people he was with? And what the FUCK does 'memory is the key' mean?"

She stared back at me for a few moments, then said, "Sorry kid, like I said, I can't stay for long."

My grip tightened, "You're not going anywhere."

She lowered her head and sighed, "I didn't want to do this," she looks back at me, "But you'll just have to tell him after you wake up."

"Wait, wha-?"

_POW_

* * *

"You think she's okay?"

"What do you think!?"

"She _was_ hit pretty hard."

My eyes feel so freakin' heavy to open, and why the hell is it so hard to open my left one!?

"Hey-Hey guys she's waking up!"

Everything was blurry just like from earlier only this time it didn't take as long to focus. After blinking a few times, I was able to be met face to face with a pair of silver eyes.

"GAH!" I jumped.

"You're okay!" Ruby cheered, quickly wrapping me in a the tightest hug she could.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she whispered with relief.

"Come on sis," I smiled, rubbing her back, "I always keep my promise."

I scanned the whole room and found my friends: Blake, Weiss, Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, Nora. They were all relieved that I was fine, Nora especially since she was crying buckets and blowing into a tissue to the point it was almost comedic.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked.

Pyrrha was the first to explain, "Ruby told us that the man from the video was on campus and that you went after him. We eventually tracked you down to the Emerald forest."

"What were you thinking!?" Weiss scolded, "Going head first into a forest full of Grimm, at night, along with that monster."

"Well…I mean," I rubbed the back of my head, trying to come up with an answer, "I wasn't."

"Why am I not surprised," she rubbed her knuckle against her forehead.

"We eventually found you in a clearing," Blake continued, "You were both knocked out, so we took you here. The doctors were able to reduce the swelling in your eye-"

"Wait, knocked out?" I interrupted, "How was I-...Oh, that BITCH!"

Everyone jumped back at outburst.

"Yang Xiao Long," Weiss scolded, "Language."

"Sorry, sorry," I instantly calmed down, "It's just that she was the one who-wait."

I patted myself down, trying to find that…thing that hag gave me. I checked my pockets, but it wasn't there.

"Where is it?" I panicked, "Where is it!?"

"Where's what?" Blake asked.

"When I came in, did I have anything on me?"

"What, you mean that computer chip-thing?" Jaune answered, "I threw it in the trash."

I shot out of my bed and picked his scrawny little ass by his stupid hoodie.

"YOU DID WHAT!?" I shrieked.

"Yang, stop!" Pyrrha glared, trying to put my arms down.

"Where did you throw it!?" I demanded.

"I-It-It's over there," Jaune nervously pointed towards the trash bin near the door.

I threw him into Pyrrha's arms.

"H-Hey!" they grunted.

They'll thank me later, right now I was more concerned with that computer chip. I frantically searched through the bin, ignoring the looks my friends were giving me. After some digging I was able to find it. Jaune was right, it was some kind of computer chip. Only that the surface was glowing, light blue in a black hexagonal frame. There were three black chevrons with white outlines pointing towards the middle on the surface. But, what really stood out were the spikes on the other side of the symbol. They were small, but still sharp enough to penetrate skin. Like Wash's neck.

"Yang, you starting to scare me," Ruby nervously stated, "What's going-?"

"Where's Wash?" I asked.

"Wha-Wha-?"

"Ruby," I showed her the chip, "I need to get this to Wash. It might help him."

"He-He's down the hall, four rooms down but Yang-."

I quickly dashed out of the room, cutting off what Ruby was going to tell me.

"Yang wait!" she chased after me.

I sprinted towards the room as fast as they could carry me. I needed to get this thing to Wash. This may be the only thing that could save him. Who knows what may happen to him if I wait any longer.

I skidded to a stop in front of room 117 and slammed the door open.

"Wash I-!"

My body froze and my eyes widened at what I saw. I couldn't tell if that was Wash lying there or if I had just gone into the wrong room. Even so, there was still someone lying on a hospital bed; with tubes connecting to both his wrists, arms, and even both sides of a collar that wrapped around his neck. But what really stood out; was that cube-shaped helmet with a web of wires connected to it, covering almost the entire top half of his face. A steady beep from the machines told me that he was still alive. Still; it just didn't look right, like he was being experimented on or something.

I was about to take a shaky step forward, but was stopped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and found Professor Ozpin, his face looking apologetic.

"We should talk somewhere less," he looked at Wash, "Disturbing."

Reluctantly, I nodded my head and gently closed the door.

* * *

**Third-Person POV**

Beacon's headmaster gently guided Yang back to her room where the others waited. With the brawler's adrenaline now subsided; the two teams now stood around the room, waiting for an explanation. Ozpin patiently stood in front of the group with the A.I. chip in his hand. Yang sat on one of the beds with Ruby at her side and the others standing with her. They first explained the video Blake had received, but didn't disclose what was on it, only that it made them suspicious of the ex-Freelancer. Yang then re-told the events that happened before she and Wash were found. Some were wide-eyed at what they heard, others were disturbed by the description of what the Meta had done to him. When Yang reached the point where she was rescued by a woman in black armor on a motorcycle, and how she used her vehicle to fight the armored giant, they were amazed.

Weiss, on the other hand, looked at her skeptically, "Are you sure that headbutt you took didn't make you see things?"

"I'm not!" Yang glared, "She did a bunch of these…stunts against that guy looking like a total badass. If she didn't knock me out then I would have asked her for driving lessons."

"And she's the one who gave you this?" Ozpin asked, examining the computer chip in his hand.

"Yeah," Yang answered, "She told me to give it to you. Do you two know each other?"

"I think I may know who you're talking about," the headmaster answered with a smirk, "Did she say anything else?"

"She said memory is the key," she answered, "That it's the only thing that can help Wash."

Ozpin's eyes narrowed when he heard the phrase, "Memory is the key."

"Memory is the key?" Ruby asked, "What the heck does that mean?"

"I don't know," Yang shrugged, "I just thought it was some riddle."

"Oh!" Nora cheered, "Like a _secret_ riddle."

Jaune furrowed his brow at the pink huntress, "How is it a secret if she just told it to someone?"

"And that is the best kind."

"Thank you for your explanation Ms. Xiao Long," Ozpin stated, ignoring the banter in the background, "You eight can return to your dorms. We'll handle it from here."

Yang quickly stood up, "Professor Ozpin!"

The headmaster stopped before he reached the door, "Yes."

"You know what's going on, don't you?"

"I do," the headmaster answered, "And I take it you all want to know."

The group simultaneously nodded.

Ozpin let out a sigh, "I had hoped that Washington would eventually have told you sooner, that he had grown to trust you," he scanned the group, "But I can see now that some scars are hard to heal."

"Professor Ozpin," Ruby asked, "What's so special about that chip?"

"This here," he displayed the device in question, "Is not just a computer chip. As she said, it is a key. A key that unlocks many secrets…and horrors. I could explain everything, but even with my knowledge, you wouldn't know the whole story."

The students faces fell at the news.

"Thankfully," Ozpin stated, grabbing everyone's attention, "There is someone else who can. But I must warn you, some of the things this key will unlock…it will not be pleasant. You cannot disclose what you've seen to anyone, only amongst each other."

The two teams were about to agree with this deal until the professor continued.

The emotional gravity around him intensified, "Before you agree to this, I must know. Why? Why do this for someone who has clearly stated that he does not trust you nor consider you his allies?"

* * *

**Que: RVB OST- Relay(Epistolary)**

* * *

The hunters and huntresses looked at each other for an explanation. They knew that Wash had made it pretty clear that he didn't want anything to with them. So why should they do this for him?

Yang stood up from her bed, "Wash may be a complete asshole, but he's still part of the team."

"That's right," Ruby followed, "Huntresses are there to help those in need and right now he's the one who needs help."

Jaune stood with them, "Wash told me that you can never handle things alone. Even if he's a hypocrite, I'll still follow what he taught me."

Blake did the same, "I fully understand the burden of keeping secrets from people close to you and the effects of maintaining it. I wish for no one else to go through the same thing."

Weiss stepped forward along with the others.

"Besides," she haughtily explained, "Even if he's still being stubborn and untrustworthy, he'll owe us for getting him out of that coma."

The headmaster looked over the group of future huntsmen and huntresses. He felt a sense of pride when he saw their determined faces. The group had come up with an answer so quickly. They truly did have quite a future ahead of them.

"_It seems you've done a fine job so far…Agent Washington,_" the professor inwardly smiled.

"Very well then," Professor Ozpin smirked, "Meet me in the school amphitheater at 8am sharp tomorrow. It's time for a history lesson."

* * *

**A/N: And done!**

**For those of you who need help picturing the medical equipment, look up "Medicuboid". Kudos to anyone who knows where that's from.**

**Gamma: Knock Knock**

***sigh* Who's there?**

**Gamma: Forget**

**Forget who?**

**Gamma: Do not forget to place a review.**

**GaryOkampo logging off...**

**[CONNECTION TERMINATED]**


	14. Memory is the Key II

**A/N: [CONNECTION ESTABLISHED]**

**GaryOkampo logging on...**

**Another day, another chapter. I know I may be late to say this, but I don't any of the music I use in my story. Each soundtrack belongs to their respective owners.**

* * *

Both teams RWBY and JNPR had difficulty sleeping that night; not from what had happened to their comatose teammate, though some were still worried, but with anticipation in finally getting answers. For too long they were kept in the dark, unable to understand the mysteries behind the ex-Freelancer. When their alarm clocks rang the students dressed in their regular outfits faster than usual. Words were barely exchanged as they ate their breakfast, despite Ruby and Nora's attempts to lighten the mood. After they had finished, the two teams practically marched towards the amphitheater where Ozpin was waiting.

* * *

"Glynda, how are things on your end?" the headmaster asked through his scroll.

"The operation was success Professor," the huntress reported, "However-."

"However?"

"We have tried bringing _him _back online, but there have been difficulties. Every time we tried to gain access our attempts were blocked by….something."

"Something?"

"It's hard to describe, A.I.s that are this complex are rare. An easier explanation would be that there is _something_ trying to take over."

"Do the projectors still work?"

"They do, but I can't guarantee that it will be the program you are expecting."

Ozpin looked back when he heard footsteps march into the arena, "Do it anyway, this may help us explain things."

"Are you sure?"

"You're not starting to lose faith in me now, are you Glynda?" Ozpin teased.

"O-Of course not sir!" the huntress stammered, a light blush crossing her face.

"It's fine," the headmaster chuckled, "Know that I trust you as well."

The blush on her face brightened which only fueled Ozpin's urge to tease her more. It was entertaining to see her drop that stone-cold mask she wears.

Glynda immediately cleared her throat to regain herself, "Very well, simply activate the projectors with your scroll. Hopefully the program will agree to do the rest."

Ozpin closed his device as he looked over the students and saw the determination as well as the exhaustion on their faces.

"I take it you 8 have had a restless night," he smirked.

The students didn't respond to his joke.

"Come now," the professor greeted, "Despite how I act in public, I hate to see such expressions cross my student's faces."

"You're telling me," Nora rolled her eyes, "I tried everything to get these frowners to smile all morning, but they just kept on moping: knock knock jokes, starting a food fight, I even said some of Yang's terrible puns."

"Hey!" the blonde shouted, "My puns aren't that bad."

"They usually are," Ruby added.

"Not you too!"

"Can we please focus right now!" Weiss shrieked, rubbing her temples, "It's too early for your bickering."

"Excuse me, professor?" Blake stepped forward, ignoring the others, "You mentioned yesterday that there was someone who could explain the situation."

"I did," he simply answered.

"But," she motioned to everyone in the room, "There's no else here."

Ozpin smirked at the faunus, "Not yet."

"Yet?" Blake asked again, only to be met with Beacon's headmaster silently pressing the screen of his scroll.

The floor then lit up with a grid of glowing blue lights causing the students to jump at the sight as they never realized that this was part of the building.

"What you are witnessing is a prototype holographic simulator. We were planning to use this technology to create environments, scenarios, items, and even adversaries," Ozpin explained as he brought out random boxes and tools.

"Wow!" Ruby squealed, "This. Is so. COOL!"

"Wait!" Weiss interrupted, "Where did this technology come from? I mean, Atlas has used holograms before, but only as displays. And how does this help explain what is going on with Wash?"

"That my dear," Ozpin smirked, "Is not my field of expertise. So I've decided to have someone who is more…knowledgeable on the subject."

The two teams looked at each other with confused looks until a section of the grid begin to shine a bright green light. A short pillar appeared out of the ground and began to take form.

"_Holographic display: Activated. Restoring functions,_" a voice stated.

Soon, a man in bright green armor stood before both teams and the headmaster. Everyone was wide-eyed at the sight of the human-sized hologram. Yang, on the other hand, was angry.

"You!" she glared.

"_Hello,_" the hologram greeted, "_How may I be of assistance today?_"

Before anyone could answer, a fist had already gone through the armored figure's head.

"Yang!" Ruby scolded.

"_I am sorry if I have offended you in some way,_" the figure apologized.

"Cut the act!" the brawler pointed, "You were with that armored freak and that Omega guy."

"_I am sorry, but I am confused,_" he tilted his head, "_I do not recall meeting you until today._"

"Don't act like you don't remember!"

"Yang stop it!" Ruby pulled her sister away, with some assistance from her team.

"_You must be referring to Delta, the _real _Delta,_" the hologram explained, "_You are correct to assume that we are the same entity, but you are mistaken._"

Blake put a hand on her partner in order to calm her down, "Yang, why don't we let...," she glanced at the hologram, "...it explain what's going on. Okay?"

"...Fine," she grumbled, crossing her arms.

"We're sorry for the rude welcoming," Ozpin apologized.

"_It is an understandable response,_" Delta nodded.

"Forgive me for asking this," the professor pondered, "But why are we speaking with you and not _him_?"

"_Are you referring to Epsilon?_" the hologram answered, "_Due to being forcibly removed from his partner, he had suffered damage to most of systems._"

"Wait, Epsilon?" Ruby asked, "You know him?"

"_Yes….I am him._"

"You're Epsilon?" Blake asked this time.

"_No, my name is Delta._"

"So you're not him?" Jaune asked.

"_Yes, but also no._"

"Yes you are him or yes you're not?" Nora asked, scratching the side of her head.

"_Both._"

"Then which one is it!?" Weiss shrieked, almost pulling her hair out, "I thought we were getting answers, but I'm more confused than before."

"Instruction," Ozpin calmly announced, gaining the students attention, "Identify yourself."

"Executing," the hologram replied, "I am the memory of Delta, an A.I. program for the special operations group 'Freelancer'. I am part of the A.I. designated 'Epsilon' who is also of the same project."

"A.I.?" Ruby pondered.

"What's the 'A' stand for?" Nora asked.

"_Artificial,_" Delta answered.

"And the 'I'?"

"_Intelligence._"

"Ahhhh….I'm sorry what was the 'A' again?"

"_Look,_" Delta raised his hand, signaling the girl to stop, "_Let's just say I am a very smart computer program and leave it at that._"

"You're an A.I.?" Weiss asked unconvinced, "I've seen assistant A.I.s before, but they're programmed to respond to specific scenarios and do certain actions. You're reactions are almost natural, too complex for an Atlas A.I."

"_That is because I was not made in Atlas,_" Delta explained, "_I was made in Gulch._"

"Gulch?" Pyrrha stared at the program.

"Hold on," Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose in disbelief, "You're saying that a country with no access to today's technologies _and_ Dust," she looked at the hologram skeptically, "Was able to create something as complex as Artificial Intelligence?"

Ozpin was the one who answered her, "What you forget Ms. Schnee is that even though Atlas may be technologically advanced, there are also other nations who can be innovative as well."

"Um...Professor Ozpin?" Jaune shrugged, "I'm really confused at what's going here. How do A.I.s and countries explain Wash's situation?"

"How many of you understand the history of Gulch?" the professor asked back.

"Professor Oobleck has been talking about it for the past few days," Weiss answered.

"But," Blake added, "For some reason it's only mentioned in a small section of our textbook and even in some of the history books I've read."

"That was a precaution," Ozpin admitted, "In order to not cause hysteria."

"Hysteria?" Ren asked, finally adding himself to the conversation.

"I think it was more out of embarrassment really," the headmaster chuckled, "Imagine how the people would feel, knowing that a small nation was able to defend itself from most of the world."

"Uhhhhh…," Ruby hesitantly raised her hand, "Do you think you can give us a reminder? Some of us have trouble on that subject."

"Haven't you payed any attention in class!?" Weiss scolded.

"Hey, it's not our fault!" Yang rebutted, "You try taking notes during one of his lectures."

"Very well then," Ozpin concluded, "To understand a nation, you must look in the most obvious spot: the past."

With a stomp of his cane, the entire amphitheater floor was enveloped with a world map of Remnant. The students jumped when they witnessed the tile floor being replaced with holographic oceans and a geographical map. Soon, it seemed as if they were floating high above the surface of their planet.

"Woah," Ruby muttered in amazement.

"As you all know, there are 4 kingdoms that have reigned over our planet: Atlas, Mistral, Vacuo, and Vale," the professor explained with each kingdom highlighted when named, "Aside from them there are also smaller countries such as Menagerie…and Gulch."

* * *

_The map of the world zooms in on a country between Vale, Atlas, and Mistral._

* * *

"Gulch was a….unique entity that was found on Remnant. The country had very little Dust reserves causing the citizens to be at a disadvantage with it's neighbors. When Mistral created it's army, they had begun to train their own warriors; when Vale created it's first castle, they had constructed their first village; and when Atlas created the first aircraft, Gulch inventors had created the first non-Dust required rifle. Yet despite this, the country and it's people were often ignored because they were seen as….un-important. Allowing them to live in peace."

* * *

_The map zooms in again onto a small settlement. The architecture was nothing special and some of the city was still being built. Bulky construction machines were man-powered while groups of workers carried the materials themselves. Children were playing in the streets with wooden or old-fashioned toys while the women conversed with another. A little girl innocently sat on a nearby hill as she and her mother created bouquets of flowers. The entire town stood as a symbol of a peaceful environment._

* * *

"Sadly, times of peace do not always last forever, for the world is still a dangerous place. At first the people of Gulch suffered only at the hands of the Grimm, struggling to fight back without the assistance of 'Nature's Wrath'. But then the most climactic moment in our history had occurred. The kingdoms had fought against each other for control of the people, and Gulch was caught in the middle of it. During this conflict the kingdoms repeatedly gained and lost territories to their enemies. In order to establish a foothold to end this stalemate, they had to find a territory to be put under their complete control. That, was when the entire world had set it's sights on Gulch."

* * *

_The sky over the small town had darkened as the clouds began to turn as black as night. The winds began to blow violently, plucking and destroying small flowers from the ground. On the hill, the mother protectively picked up her daughter and looked towards the clouds. She saw what looked like floating ships sail over the peaceful village. The flying transport was armed to the teeth with cannons as they all began to aim towards their first target…the town._

* * *

"The small nation had tried to remain neutral in this conflict, refusing to pick either sides. They negotiated with many of the kingdoms to be left alone, some agreed, but there were those with….less civilized methods. They saw Gulch as an easy victory, causing kingdoms and nations to choose to forcibly control it as their own, some going as far as agreeing to share the land when they succeed. Along with the attacks from the Grimm, the entire continent was plunged into war."

"_Your history records often refer to it as 'The War' or 'The Great War',_" Delta added, "_But to the people of the Gulch, they also remember it by another name: 'The Covenant War'._"

A montage of battles began to fill the room.

* * *

**Que: Halo Legends OST- Machines and Might**

* * *

_The once peaceful countryside was plunged into chaos. Civilians were running in the streets, trying to flee from the soldiers that marched with a gait of intimidation. Many were held at gunpoint as men, women, and children were taken prisoner while some kneeled to be executed. Faunus warriors fought against what little Gulch military there was at the time. In the end, a lizard faunus stood atop the rubble as he dangled the body of a defeated Gulch soldier with one arm causing the other warriors to cheer with victory. Grimm slaughtered innocents as they destroyed one village after the other. People ran in fear from the hoard of beowolves and ursi while a deathstalker stood atop a building, hissing as it overlooked the destruction. The map of the country returned as it's soil began to turn black and Gulch cities were plunged into fire, one-by-one._

* * *

Delta then took over, "_Realizing there was no diplomatic solution, the government diverted all of it's resources and manpower towards military action. Thousands were drafted into the army while scientists worked round the clock to create more advanced weapons and equipment that could give them an edge._"

A scene of a military base envelopes the amphitheater.

* * *

_Hundreds of soldiers were arming themselves with a variety of weapons: assault rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles, rocket launchers, etc. There were mechanics in nearby hangars who were focused on repairing and maintaining vehicles. Tanks and weapon-mounted jeeps exited the base while soldiers boarded their assigned gunships before taking off._

_The scene then changes to a top-secret facility with crews of scientists developing new technologies and weapons. A group of scientists began to surround their most recent success. A 7-foot-tall soldier in a black body suit stood in the middle of a small platform as an array of power tools systematically placed dark-green military-grade armor around his body. Eventually; the final piece, a helmet with a reflective golden visor, was placed atop his head. The soldier looked at his now armored hands while the scientists clapped with joy._

_Cut to a semi-dark room with a strange platform surrounded by lab equipment. A woman with neck-length hair used her datapad to make the final checks on her experiment. When she was satisfied, she took a strange looking helmet from a nearby stand. This helmet had many wires attached to the back towards a massive machine. The female scientist placed the helmet atop her head and approached a lever nearby. As soon as the metal made contact, the entire room was engulfed with what appeared to be miniature lightning strikes. Sparks leaped out the various machines and instruments for what felt like hours of unrelenting heat._

_When the sparks had finally settled, the room was enveloped in darkness with the glowing platform serving as the only source of light. The scientist removed the helmet and cautiously approached it. As she neared the source, she realized that the light did not come from the platform but from….something else. She lowered herself, her chin touching her forearm, in order to be at the tiny being's eye level. The digital figure came in the form of a young woman, whose body glowed a mix of blue and purple hues as she laid in a fetal position with markings covering her virtual skin. This new form of life began to wake up, like an infant born from the womb. She scanned the room until her eyes fell on the female scientist. They looked at each other with curious eyes, but the scientist knew one thing: she had done it._

* * *

**End: Halo Legends OST- Machines and Might**

* * *

"After years of battle, they had found it," Ozpin resumed, "A scientist had found a way to create the first 'smart' A.I. An Artificial Intelligence program able to process and interact with it's environment at speeds faster than any other being on the planet. Gulch's military saw promise in the project and sanctioned the creation of more A.I. programs. Soon, they were implanted into everything: weapons, equipment, vehicles, even their own soldiers."

* * *

**Que: Halo Legends OST- Halo**

* * *

_The armored soldier sat on a nearby crate, tired from another heated battle. Many of the other soldiers simply minded their own business, ignoring the warriors social isolation. In the shadows of the hangar was the female scientist with her newest creation in her palm. The A.I. looked over the many soldiers in the room until her virtual eyes fell on the lonely soldier. She pointed at her choice and the female scientist bravely approached the exhausted warrior. The soldier blankly looked at her through his visor while she did the same at her reflection. She boldly presented her creation towards him as the A.I. smiled at her newfound partner. The soldier skeptically looked at the holographic woman, but stuck out his hand in acceptance._

_The scene changes to a montage of battles where Gulch soldiers were finally fighting back. In the headquarters of a military base, an admiral overlooked multiple screens that showed footage of a massive convoy composed of Faunus troops passing through a nearby valley. The admiral looked towards the bases A.I., a pilot wearing aviator sunglasses, who was making last minute calculations. The A.I. nodded it's head, signaling the admiral to attack which he did with a hailstorm of missiles. The screens were lit up with a bright light for a few minutes until the image returned, revealing a crater that replaced the enemies location._

_In the hangar of an enemy vessel, troops were preparing to invade another Gulch settlement. The captain overlooked the progress from the bridge, a smug grin crossing his face. The sound of gunfire rang through his ears as he realized an intruder had made his way inside. He turned towards his attacker only to be met by the barrel of a shotgun. A single blast was all that was needed to remove the captain, along with his head, from his chair. The Gulch soldier held out his palm, allowing his cloaked A.I. to hack through the ship's systems. A single pulse resonated throughout the ship causing many lights and equipment to go out like a candle. The soldier, his squad, and his A.I. companion flew out of the hangar; watching the enemy vessel slowly fall to the ground._

_In a ruined city, corpses littered the streets. However these bodies were not those of Gulch citizens, but of the Grimm. At the center of the carnage was a familiar soldier in green armor. Beowolves charged towards the giant human only to be slaughtered by the rounds fired from his assault rifle. An ursa major attempted to slash him from behind, but the soldier's A.I. had already warned him. He quickly rolled out of the way, but had lost his rifle from the Grimm's attack. The ursa swung again; but only struck dirt as the soldier ran up the massive creature's chest, placed a spike grenade into it's skull, and back-flipped off it's shoulders in order to avoid the blast. As the soldier picked up his rifle, his female A.I. appeared on his shoulder, warning him of more enemies. A hoard of beowolf alphas surrounded the soldier, snarling in anger at the sight of their dead brethren. The soldier calmly took out a blue sphere as he and the A.I. glanced at each other. Words were exchanged and he ignited the grenade as they agreed to finish this fight._

* * *

**End: Halo Legends OST- Halo**

* * *

"The military continued to push back, gaining ground they had once lost. Eventually the kingdoms, as well as the world, realized that they couldn't face an enemy like this. They were victorious, but it had come at a price."

* * *

_The armored soldier stood at the edge of a sea-side cliff, the entire Gulch military behind him, as they witnessed both sea and air fleets flee from the coastline. Many of the soldiers raised their rifles towards the setting sun while some threw their helmets into air, celebrating a well-deserved victory. At long last the war was over, there was finally peace. However, the soldier and a select few, continued to stare out into the ocean. They had seen it all throughout this conflict. They knew the horrors that followed from the greed of outsiders. Eventually; they realized that even though there was peace, someday...it will happen again._

* * *

"Like a child traumatically scarred, the entire continent of Gulch realized that they were constantly surrounded by enemies. So they closed off their borders, prohibited outsiders from entering, and sealed themselves off from the rest of the world. For 80 years, no one has seen or heard from the shadowy continent. That is, until now."

As the entire amphitheater slowly returned to it's original state, the students used that time to reflect on what they heard _and_ seen. Ozpin looked over the faces of his students, noticing the many emotions he did not want to see on them. As a huntsman, he had seen many terrible things. It pained his heart to expose children to something as horrific as war. He knew that such events were difficult for them to understand, much less be able to stomach. How could they, they were born in a time of peace. They were privileged to be born in a safe environment away from danger. Yet they chose a profession that risked their lives constantly. It sometimes annoyed Ozpin that some of his more arrogant students believed being a huntsman was easy. That all it required was physical skill. But no, they will eventually face these hardships in the future. Better to have them know now than later. The headmaster sighed at the irony of the situation, they would learn of their future from seeing the past.

"As I told you before," Ozpin stated, "You will eventually come across things that you will find unpleasant."

Weiss was the first to regain herself, "You said that no one has heard about Gulch until now. What do you mean?"

"It has been kept out of the news as much as possible," Ozpin answered, "But it seems Gulch has recently tried to be more open. They've even recently opened their own huntsman academy."

"This relates to Wash because….," Ruby realized, earning a nod from the headmaster.

Yang was the one who finished her sentence, "Because Wash is from Gulch."

"It does explain most things," Blake pointed out, "His weapons only have one form and his equipment is basic but practical."

"And he seemed pretty mad when Weiss made fun of his home," Ruby added.

"It would make sense that he wouldn't trust us," the heiress crossed her arms, "He was probably taught that huntsman and huntresses were the enemy."

"But if Wash is from a country that doesn't trust outsiders," Pyrrha asked the group, "Why is he here?"

"_Do you remember my mention of project titled 'Freelancer'?_" Delta asked the group, earning a nod from each of them, "_After the war, many people had come up with ideas to protect Gulch from future attacks. Project Freelancer was the one of them. It's purpose was to further advance and study soldiers with A.I. implants during combat along with developing new equipment for their troops._"

"They sound more like test subjects rather than freelancers," Blake stated.

"What's a freelancer?" Jaune asked.

"A freelancer is more like a mercenary," Weiss answered, "They're hired by clients for a variety of reasons and have full freedom on missions."

"How do you know that?" Ruby asked her partner.

The heiress looked away hesitantly, "My….family's company has hired a few mercenaries in the past."

"No surprise there," Blake muttered.

"_The project was called freelancer more as of an analogy rather than a profession,_" Delta explained, "_They were still agents of Gulch, only at certain times they were given more leeway._"

"And you're saying that Wash was one of them," Yang stated.

"_Correct. He was one of the many failures from the project._"

Team RWBY's brawler frowned when she heard that Wash was once again labeled as a failure.

"Failures?" Pyrrha furrowed her brow, "What happened to them?"

"_Washington's merging with his A.I. implant had some….negative side-effects. It's the reason why he is here now,_" Delta answered, "_There were several others, but we won't dive into that. What's important is that we must help Agent Washington in his current state._"

"How does _this_," Weiss motioned to the amphitheater/holographic room, "Help Wash?"

"_Are you familiar with the phenomenon that occurs when people die or are near death?_" Delta asked.

"That they're life flashes before their eyes?" Blake asked back.

"_Correct,_" the green A.I. answered, "_You could say that when Agent Washington's implant was forcibly removed, he experienced those memories as it occurred. His mind could not handle the sudden surge which had placed great strain on his lobes and hippocampus._"

Ruby scratched her head, "Like the mammal?"

"That's a hippopotamus," Weiss deadpanned.

"Its like a balloon," Blake explained, holding her hands up to imitate a sphere, "If you fill it with too much water," her hands expand, "It eventually pops."

"So what now?" Yang asked the hologram.

"_Restoring Washington's memory correctly is key in order to repair his damaged mind,_" Delta answered, "_I can search through his implant and find important moments in his life. The chances of him waking up with every memory I find and repair will increase by 5%._"

"Okay then," the blonde sighed, "What do you need us to do?"

"_You don't need to do anything._"

"WAIT, WHAT!?" the two teams protested.

"_This task is unlike anything most organic scientists, much less students, can handle. An A.I. such as myself is the more logical choice for the job._"

"But we can't just leave!" Ruby yelled.

"Yeah!" Yang agreed with her sister, "Why do you think we came here!?"

"Delta," Ozpin spoke up, grabbing everyone's attention, "I promised these students an explanation for their comrade's past," he said motioning to the students, "It may seem unorthodox, but can you at least allow them that?"

The green hologram placed a hand on his helmet where his chin would be, running through multiple scenarios with his circuits. Both teams RWBY and JNPR waited with anticipation for what seemed like hours.

"_All right then,_" the logic-based A.I. answered, "_Come back here in one hour, I should almost be done by then._"

"Wow, that fast?" Nora asked, wide-eyed when she heard how fast he works.

"_A.I. can process data at speeds 20 times faster than humans,_" Delta reminded her.

The students smiled when they heard the news as they all agreed that they needed a break after what they had just seen. Except more awaited them soon.

* * *

**A/N: So what do you think of my history of Gulch? Can you spot some of the Halo easter eggs?**

**And for those who have trouble visualizing the shapes of countries, just picture Gulch as an island continent shaped like the United States. Since, well, that's where most of the freelancers get their names.**

**Now some of you hardcore Halo fans are probably gonna nitpick about how A.I.s came to be or how Cortana was created, but that is not the point of this chapter. I'm not following the timeline or history of the game, I'm just interpreting and simplifying it a bit. **

**GaryOkampo logging off...**

**[CONNECTION TERMINATED] **


	15. Memory is the Key III

**A/N: [CONNECTION ESTABLISHED]**

**GaryOkampo logging on...**

**These past few days have been pretty hard for all of us. As you already know, Monty Oum has passed away. He is an inspiration to many of us by freely creating what he wanted without letting any barriers affecting him.**

**I know some of you might be asking why I didn't publish a tribute or a PSA. Well, I originally was, but I couldn't seem to write anything. People have a right to mourn in their own way. Some do it by writing, while others simply need some time alone.**

**I haven't met Monty personally, but I respect the man for his achievements and passion he puts into his work.**

**All I can do is be as creative as I can be.**

* * *

As Delta began repairing Washington's memories, both teams RWBY and JNPR stood outside the amphitheater waiting impatiently. Ozpin, on the other hand, remained inside to oversee the green A.I.'s progress. Even though Delta had promised that he would be finished in an hour, for some of the huntsmen and huntresses-in-training it began to feel like five. Most tried to find something to distract themselves by doing random activities. Ruby sat crosslegged on the ground as she polished Crescent Rose. Weiss sat next to her, reading over her school notes for any upcoming tests on her scroll. Ren sat under a nearby tree, silently meditating. Nora was next to him in the same position, plucking nearby dandelions and blowing them into Ren's face causing him to sneeze when a seed head flew past his nose. Pyrrha figured now would be a good time to tutor Jaune, putting him in a proper headlock. Blake chose to read one of her books on a nearby bench in peace.

"Whatcha doin'?" Yang playfully asked, taking a seat next to her partner.

"Just….doing some reading," the cat-faunus hesitantly answered.

"Oh~?" the blonde teased, "Is it about whether a cat and a monkey can make a baby?"

Blake gave the same frown she usually gives Sun whenever he tried to be funny.

"What?"

"Yang," the cat-faunus asked back, "Are you okay?"

"Me? _Pfft_ Yeah, I'm fine," pointing at her smiling face, "See?"

"Really?" Blake suspiciously narrowed her eyes, "An hour ago you punched _and_ threatened a hologram, now you're making jokes about my love life?"

"AHA!" the blonde playfully accused her partner, "So I was right, there is something between you and Sun!"

The cat-faunus simply continued to frown, knowing that smile on Yang's face was a facade. Blake wasn't stupid, in fact, she can read a person like a book(no pun intended). The smile on her partner's face one looked forced, like a mask trying to hide her anxiety. She knew Yang was worried about something, and it seemed the blonde boxer realized that she couldn't keep up the act either.

"Okay fine," Yang let out a defeated sigh, "I've just been….thinking lately."

Blake's eyes softened, "About?"

"Wash," Yang answered, looking towards the amphitheater entrance, "I wonder how he's gonna react when he wakes up."

"That is _if_ he wakes up," Blake pointed out.

"He will," the blonde stated sternly, but her tone then softened, "It's just….We're using a holographic simulator to look into a guy's memories, while he is in a coma."

"When you say it like that," the cat-faunus smirked, "It does sound a bit far-fetched."

"Do you think he'll….know that we're watching?" Yang asked, "That we're going to find out what makes him tick without him knowing?"

"Are you having second thoughts?"

The blonde sighed again, laying back into the bench, "I don't know. I just don't want to make things worse between us."

"Worse?"

Yang was silent for a few moments as her brow furrowed, "...Do you remember what happened after Wash told us he was leaving Beacon?"

"It happened yesterday Yang," Blake furrowed her brow, "I'm pretty sure that memory is still fresh in everyone's mind."

"Well after you guys left, it was only me and Wash in the hallway. I asked him if he ever considered me a friend," her fists clenched atop her knees, "He said we never were."

"Than that's his fault," Blake put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "You shouldn't worry about what he said to you."

"It doesn't end there," the blonde stared at the ground, "I punched him right after that."

Blake looked at her partner with pity, "Yang, you were mad. It's an understandable reaction."

"But I practically told him that he wasn't my friend either," she scoffed, "Yet I got my ass kicked by an armored psycho and here I am….trying to save someone who probably still doesn't trust me."

The cat-faunus sat silently, trying to think of a way to bring back her partner's spirit. Positive reinforcement wasn't exactly Blake's specialty. She had a realistic, some would almost say pessimistic, view on life. She couldn't really tell someone, much less her friend and partner, that everything was going to be fine when she didn't fully believe it either.

"...Do you know that famous saying?" Blake asked, "That trust has to be earned, not given."

Yang simply nodded.

"When I first came to Beacon, I didn't really trust anyone. But after fighting alongside and getting to know you and the others, I began to again," the former White-Fang looked away, "Albeit not completely."

"I think I'm having a serious case of deja vu right now," Yang quipped.

"My point being is that neither Wash or any us tried to earn eachothers' trust. Either we were too forceful with him or Wash didn't even try the idea. But like Ozpin said, he has some scars that apparently never healed," eventually both huntresses looked towards the entrance, "Whatever happened to him….it must have been traumatic to make him not open-up to anyone."

A few quiet moments passed until the amphitheater doors opened, with Ozpin right behind them.

"Delta is finished," the headmaster announced, "You can now go inside."

The students silently began walking in one-by-one, but Ozpin chose to head in the opposite direction. This had obviously caught the eye of a certain cloaked huntress.

"Um….Professor?" Ruby asked, "Where are you going?"

"I'm heading back to the infirmary to look after our patient," Ozpin chuckled, "We wouldn't want anything to happen to him as you virtually poke through his brain, now would we?"

"Oh, right….of course," the scythe-wielder nodded and ran to catch up with the others.

As the doors began to behind her, Ruby made one last glance towards the headmaster. Ozpin was still calmly standing there, cane in hand, with a smile on his face that displayed his faith in them. Soon, the doors were closed, enveloping the students in darkness.

* * *

The familiar luminescent grid illuminated the entire floor, serving as the only source of light within the massive room.

"_Now that I have repaired most of Washington's memories during Project Freelancer, along with key moments in his life. His mind should right now begin repairing itself._"

"So….what now?" Jaune asked.

"_Ozpin explained to me that Washington has not explained his involvement with the project with any of you,_" the green A.I. stated, "_That is understandable due to what has happened to him._"

Weiss asked the hologram, "What exactly _did _happen to him?"

"_Telling you would be difficult for you to understand,_" Delta replied, earning a frown from the heiress, "_Better yet, it is best to show you._"

"Wait a minute," Ruby curiously asked, "Can't you just show us the memory that made Wash not trust anyone? Wouldn't that be a lot faster?"

"_Sadly, Washington's trauma is not limited to one memory,_" the A.I. answered, "_Certain events fueled his doubt in others until that moment._"

"It's like reading the climax first in a story," Blake explained, "You can't understand what's going on unless you build up to it."

"_That is correct. Now, if anyone else has any questions?_" Delta scanned the group who said nothing, "_Let us begin._"

With a wave of his hand, the entire amphitheater began to disappear around them. Metallic walls rose out of the holographic grid surrounding the students on all sides. Some backed away, forgetting that what was in front of their eyes was an illusion. Eventually the walls stopped and two of them began to morph as five seats with safety bars appeared. What was once a massive room able to hold hundreds of students; was now a much smaller, but still able to hold everyone, trapezoid shaped room. Both teams gazed in amazement at the technological marvel they had just witnessed.

"That," Jaune stated, "Was pretty cool."

"It feels so….real," Pyrrha gasped as she traced her palm against the metal wall.

"_The holographic simulator uses it's database to create realistic objects with the assistance of 'hard-light' technology._" Delta explained, "_As long as you are in this chamber, environments and items can feel as real as if they are actually there._"

"So, where are we exactly?" Blake asked.

"_We are currently in the cargo area of a D79H-TC drop-ship, nicknamed by gulch soldiers as a 'Pelican'._"

"So what does this have to do with Wash?" Yang asked.

"_Your instructors spoke highly of you back at the academy,_" a new voice announced.

The group turned towards the source and saw a man with dark skin and close-shaved hair, wearing a grey military-like uniform.

"Where did you come from!?" Weiss demanded.

The man didn't answer and simply continued, "_You made top marks with physical and weapons training and your academic scores were in the top 15 of your year._"

"Excuse me!" the heiress stomped in front of the man, "I'm talking to you!"

"Weiss I don't think he can hear you," Blake interrupted.

"How can he not!?" Weiss glared, "He's right in front of me."

The cat-faunus didn't answer as she already approached the man and swatted her hand towards his face. Many expected to hear a slapping noise as skin made contact with each other. Instead, they gasped when they saw Blake's hand pass through the man's face.

"He's a hologram," the faunus stated.

"_You are correct,_" Delta explained, "_Since the simulator is recreating memories, the best it can do is create the environment and place holographic individuals such as the Counselor._"

Ruby tilted her head at the man's title, "The Counselor? Doesn't he have a name?"

"_The Counselor never gave away his name to the agents so many, including Agent Washington, only knew him by his occupation._"

"How come he isn't moving?" Ren asked, ignoring Nora's antics of playfully poking the hologram.

"_Right now I have 'paused' the memory, similar as to you would watch a movie._"

"So we're the viewers and you're the remote," Yang added with a smirk, "I should have brought popcorn."

"Unbelievable," Weiss groaned.

"_We are happy to have you join our organization,_" the Counselor resumed, "_You will make a fine addition to Project Freelancer._"

"_Thank you sir,_" a familiar voice replied.

The entire group jerked their heads towards the seat opposite of the Counselor. Sitting opposite of him was a young man in steel gray armor with yellow trims. His entire head was covered with a helmet of the same colors along with a dark-orange visor. His voice sounded younger, but everyone could recognize who it was before them.

Yang was the first regain herself, "That's….Wash?"

"Wow!" Ruby squealed, excitedly looking over the newly recruited Freelancer, "Look at this armor! It's so cool!"

"_There is an adjustment period for new recruits,_" the Counselor added, "_Feel free to come by my office for any help. Especially if you are having trouble socializing with other agents due to your age._"

"Wait, age?" Weiss asked, "I thought Washington was 19."

"_This occurred 4 years ago,_" Delta explained, "_Agent Washington was 15-years-old at the time._"

"15!?" the heiress shrieked, "He joined a military organization at 15!?"

"But didn't Ruby enroll into Beacon at the same age?" Pyrrha deadpanned.

"And he said I was too young to attend," Ruby huffed, crossing her arms.

"_Attention passengers,_" a female voice announced over the ship's intercom, "_This is your friendly pilot 479er speaking. Just letting our fresh new meat know that we'll be arriving at the 'Mother of Invention' soon. We hope you've enjoyed your time on air 479er and we KNOW that I'll be seeing you soon. That goes for you fresh meat._"

"_...'Fresh meat' sir?_" the new agent asked when the intercom shut-off, both curious and worried.

"_It's just a title given to new recruits,_" the Counselor smiled innocently, but at the same time suspicious, "_Nothing to worry about._"

The entire room began to rumble, signaling both holograms and students that they had just landed. Washington and the Counselor had already stood out of there seats. Because he was 15-years-old, Washington was obviously shorter than he is now, around Jaune's height. The two holograms then passed both teams, sending an odd sensation through their skin. Jaune found the experience…."weird", as if a spirit had just possessed him for a second. Nora simply giggled, having a ticklish feeling when the Counselor simply walked through her. Eventually it was the two holograms that stood at the head of the group in front of Pelican's bay door.

The ship's entrance began to lower itself, letting in strands of sunlight into the dark ship. The Counselor only squinted as the rays struck his face while the others, including Agent Washington, shielded their eyes. When the bay doors had finally touched the ground, they were greeted by an amazing sight. In front of them stood an airfield with many more of the Pelican dropships that were either being repaired or landing onto the tarmac. Near the the end was another airfield but was shorter in length and attached at an angle. A watch tower overlooked other ships that were coming to land. As they stepped outside, the familiar feeling and smell of an ocean breeze sailed across their skin. Both teams immediately realizing that they stood atop what seemed to be an aircraft carrier surrounded by water. Pairs of soldiers in white armor were patrolling the area while a company was jogging across the length of the airfield, singing a military song that was slightly off-key but same time was rousing to the core.

"_Welcome,_" the Counselor announced, "_To the 'Mother of Invention'._"

As the two members of Project Freelancer conversed with one another, teams RWBY and JNPR gave themselves their own tour.

"I take it back," Ruby stated, "THIS. Is so. COOL!"

"Well, Professor Ozpin did say that Gulch was a military nation," Pyrrha replied as she watched the same company jog pass them, with neither the soldiers noticing her presence.

Ruby excitedly approached the edge of the ship, trying a get a better view of the ocean surrounding them.

* * *

**Que: Avengers OST- Helicarrier**

* * *

"_Your attention please,_" another female voice announced throughout the ship, "_We will be departing shortly. All agents and troopers must report inside for their own safety. All flight crew members, please secure the deck. _"

An alarm blasted throughout the ship as soldiers scurried across the airfield, placing transparent breather masks that covered their face. Those who had already done so began clipping harnesses onto the dropships. Some were driving vehicles loaded with crates and cargo onto a platform that lowered itself into the cargo bay. The sounds of massive parts moving and twisting resonated through the student's ears. Teams RWBY and JNPR overlooked the soldiers that were fulfilling each of their assigned task with astonishment and respect. All except Ruby, who began to curiously look over the edge.

"Is this a submarine?" Jaune asked.

"Yay!" Nora clapped excitedly, "We're going to go underwater~."

"An aircraft carrier that transforms into a submarine?" Weiss scoffed skeptically, "Honestly Jaune, you've been reading too many comic books."

"Is it really that hard to believe?" Yang glared at the heiress.

"Even if a small nation was able to invent such advanced technology, you can't possibly think that they could create something like that."

"What's with you!?" the blonde fumed, "Ya know not everything has to be perfect like your precious Atlas!"

"I'm not saying that Atlas is perfect," Weiss argued, "Every nation has it's limits. How can Gulch, a small country surrounded by water, make a transforming ship!?"

"Uh…GUYS!" Ruby shouted in order to gain everyone's attention, "You might wanna see this."

The hunters and huntresses-in-training curiously approached the young girl's position. Looking over where she was pointing, it appeared to be a massive whirlpool. That is, until they saw the massive propeller rise from the water. A similar sound occurred further down the length the ship. With Blake's enhanced hearing she had also picked up two other engines on the other side of the ship. Soon, the metallic ground below them began to rumble urging the students to cautiously step back. Small waves formed underneath them and began to shrink as they rose higher and higher. Eventually the hull of the massive ship had reached it's desired height. Once again sailing through the air on the clouds.

* * *

**End: Avengers OST- Helicarrier**

* * *

"An aircraft carrier that's also a giant hovercraft," Yang weakly chuckled to the group, "Well….that's a thing. Am I right Ruby?"

"..."

"Ruby?" the blonde curiously looked towards her sister.

The red scythe wielder didn't answer as her eyes and mouth were wide open with glee, along with the sparkling atmosphere surrounding her.

Blake waved a hand in front of the dazed girl, receiving no response, "You okay there Ruby?"

"..."

Yang tried snapping in her ear only to achieve the same result, "I think my sister's brain just shut down from….excitement."

"She's not the only one," Pyrrha pointed.

Weiss stood next her partner, a similar expression crossing her face, albeit her mouth was open with shock and anger along with her left eye twitching every so often.

"Looks like Ruby's world wasn't the only one that was rocked," Yang snickered.

"_Pardon my intrusion,_" Delta announced, gaining everyone's attention, "_But Agent Washington and the Counselor have already left the flight deck._"

The students looked at their surroundings and realized it was true. No one, not even the flight crew, stood atop the airfield.

"Wai, wha-!?" Yang stammered, "Where did everybody go!?"

"_They have already gone inside._"

"When did that happen!?"

"_Seven minutes and 23 seconds ago,_" the green A.I. deadpanned, "_The same amount of time you were all staring at the ship's propellers._"

"Well where did everyone go?" Jaune asked.

"_Head to the control tower, I will guide you from there._"

The students did as they were told and headed towards their destination, along with Nora gleefully skipping as she carried Weiss over her shoulder and Yang doing the same with Ruby.

"_**Who are you?**_" a young voice asked.

A chill ran through the blonde's spine at the sudden interruption. She turned to the source where the Pelican's were stationed. Yang couldn't make out who it was since they were blocked by the dropship's landing gear, not to mention they were also in the shadows. All she could make out was that it was a little boy, probably around 7-years-old. The blonde boxer was about to approach the boy until somebody stopped her.

"Yang?" Blake calmly turned her around by her shoulder, "What are you looking at?"

"You don't see him," Yang looked back at the boy, only to find him gone, "Where'd he go?"

"Who?"

"...Nevermind," Yang sighed, "Must've been a glitch or….something. It's probably nothing.

The cat-faunus stared at her partner with suspicion, "Come on, the other's are already ahead us."

* * *

**A/N: In case you haven't noticed, I made the "Mother of Invention" the helicarrier from the Marvel universe. I recommend picturing the ones from the Winter Soldier movie since that one is loaded with guns. **

**Epsilon: Our thanks to Warmech1ne32 for suggesting the idea.**

**On another note, I know this chapter is on the short-side, but I promise to make the next one much longer.**

**Of course that means it's going to take longer to write.**

**GaryOkampo logging off...**

**[CONNECTION TERMINATED]**


	16. Project Freelancer I

**A/N: [CONNECTION ESTABLISHED]**

**GaryOkampo logging on...**

**Okay. I realized that this chapter is much more longer than I thought it would be. So like any great author, I had to chop it. Don't worry, I'm working on the next half and I'll try to post it as soon as possible. But like I said before, I've got other responsibilities so don't expect it the week after.**

**For now, let's get on with the story.**

* * *

Since childhood, Weiss Schnee was always taught that Atlas was a country of innovation. Even the Schnee Dust Company's headquarters, the world's leading supplier of Dust, was stationed in Atlas. Because of that, her family's company has always collaborated with the country's military in order to invent more technologies. Weiss sometimes looked over these projects whenever she visited their facilities, knowing that one day she will inherit these very same assets. She had seen many technological marvels, from improved current technologies to early prototypes. Her father, when he wasn't releasing his frustrations with the White Fang on his family, would drive it into her daughter's skull that they were better than the rest of the world. That they were _always_ better.

Yet today, at this very moment, her views were shattered. A country that she was taught was inferior to her homeland, was able to create unique inventions that would revolutionize the world. Holographic simulators, advanced Artificial Intelligence, even an aircraft carrier that doubled as a massive hovercraft. That last one, quite literally blown her mind. She stood inside a technological marvel that _wasn't_ made in Atlas and that _didn't_ use Dust.

The young heiress couldn't stop the horrible thoughts that ran through her mind. If this kind of technology was made public than it would ruin society itself. People wouldn't constantly need Dust, demands would decline, company stocks would be worthless, her family's company would be-!

SLAP

"WAH!"

"Yes!" a familiar, hyperactive voice cheered, "You're awake!"

"Di-Did you just slap me!?" Weiss glared at the hammer girl.

"It's not her fault," Yang shrugged next to the crouching Nora, "We were able to snap Ruby out of it with few taps, but _you_," she playfully smirked, "You were _Weiss_ cold."

The heiress gave an agitated glare towards another one of Yang's puns.

"Then I tried other ways to wake you up," Nora continued,counting off her fingers, "Snapping my fingers in your face, pinching your nose, I even stuck a loogie in your ear."

Weiss immediately stood up, "You did what!?" she shrieked, immediately covering her ear, "How could you do such thing!? That's disgus-!?"

The heiress's vision finally adjusted, allowing her to realize that they were no longer on the flight deck. Instead, they stood in a rectangular-octagon shaped hallway.

"Wh-Where are we?"

"_We are outside the ship's training floor where Agent Washington is about to undergo his initiation,_" Delta answered, motioning towards the two holograms who were frozen in front of the massive door.

"We were just waiting when you'd eventually snap out of it," Yang continued.

"Well don't wait on my part," Weiss sarcastically replied.

Delta nodded and resumed the memory.

"_I know it is sudden, but you will undergo an initiation,_" the Counselor announced.

"_What do I have to do sir?_" Wash asked.

"_You will face off against one of our agents. How you fare against them will determine which squad you are assigned too._"

The Counselor pushed a button on his datapad that activated the door in front of them to slide open. When the process was complete, they were greeted by an arena that was almost as large as the amphitheatre. A platform stood in front of them with a pistol, some spare magazines, and a couple of grenades.

"_Please select your weapons from the table,_" he continued, "_Your opponent is currently doing the same._"

Agent Washington wordlessly approached the platform and began to prepare himself. Both teams RWBY and JNPR stood on the sidelines as they waited for the match to begin. The Counselor left the group and stood at the side of an older man who waited in the shadows on the far side of the room. After a few minutes had passed, both platforms began to lower into the arena. Washington's opponent was revealed to be a female soldier in cyan colored armor with silver trims.

"Who's that?" Ruby asked.

"_That is Agent South Carolina,_" Delta answered, "_Leader of A-squad, Project Freelancer's top-ranking team._"

"And Wash is facing off against someone like that?" Yang stared at the woman.

"_Are both agents ready?_" the Counselor announced throughout the room.

"_Yes sir!_" Agent Washington shouted.

Agent South Carolina silently nodded.

A familiar female voice counted down, "_Initiation begins in 5….4….3….2….1….round begin._"

As soon as they heard the signal, South Carolina charged forward. Agent Washington opened fire with his pistol, but instead bullets flying out of the barrel, pink pellets pierced the air. The female freelancer dodged these projectiles one after the other to the point that it seemed like second nature.

"WOAH!" Ruby yelped as she dodged one of the pellets.

The projectile shattered as it had made contact with the wall, releasing a material that stuck to it.

Weiss examined the wall, "What is this stuff?"

Delta, once again, provided an answer, "_The training weapons fire lockdown paint projectiles. When it makes contact with a person's armor it locks down that specific area of the body._"

"_AH!_" Wash grunted when a pellet struck him the left shoulder, encasing it in pink cement.

"_As you can see._"

Agent South Carolina used that moment as an opening and charged towards the stunned recruit. Wash quickly reacted by rolling out of the first punch. She continued with a roundhouse kick which Wash dodged by ducking. The pattern of punches, kicks, and dodges continued for a few minutes. Of course, Agent Washington tried to counter, but his technique seemed sloppy compared to the experienced agent. In an act of desperation Wash fired his pistol at point blank range. The female agent dodged giving Wash the chance to end it all with one final punch. Sadly, Agent South Carolina countered with a throw that sent Agent Washington soaring across the room into the wall. The now defeated recruit slid down into a slump as he heard the bell go off.

Yang couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia at what had just occurred, since she similarly beat Wash when they first met.

"_Round over,_" the voice announced, "_Initiation complete. Point goes to Agent South Carolina._"

The elderly man approached the agents with the Counselor at his side.

"_Well that was disappointing,_" he stated, looking back at his assistant, "_Counselor, you said that this recruit was one of the top cadets of his class._"

"_Yes Director._"

"_Tell me,_" he asked again, "_Why did we not recruit the academy's number 1 cadet instead of number 8?_"

"_They were already enlisted sir,_" the Counselor answered, "_Into the Spartan program._"

The Director released an annoyed sigh, "_I see. Those mad scientists always seem to get the first draw in recruitment._"

"_Sir, based on his performance, I believe Agent Washington is best suited for-._"

"_Put him in D-squad,_" the Director sternly cut him off.

"_Sir?_"

"_We may have a prodigy in our presence,_" the man looked towards the recruit who was picking himself up, "_But he failed his initiation, so we put him where he belongs._"

"Wow," Yang glared, cracking her knuckles, "Not even five minutes after meeting this guy and I already hate him."

"_Director, as you say, Agent Washington is a prodigy. Don't you think he would be more useful in a team more effective than D-squad._"

"_And where should he be assigned to?_"

"_I'll take him,_" Agent South Carolina spoke up.

Everyone in the room turned towards the female agent. Team RWBY and JNPR's eyes widened when they heard her voice. The tone was older, but all too familiar to them.

"Wait," Ruby stared, "Doesn't she-?"

"_My squad is down one man,_" the freelancer approached the group, "_We could always use new blood._"

The Director blankly stared at her under his glasses, "_I seem to recall Agent Carolina that you beat this recruit. Why take someone who has no potential?_"

"_I'm your top agent Director, don't expect some rookie to lay a hand on me. But…._" she looked towards Wash who in turn, was looking at his superiors, "_He was able to evade my attacks which is useful on the battlefield._"

"_Explain,_" the Director demanded.

"She does…," Weiss added with similar awe.

"_My team consists mostly of heavy hitters. We need someone who is more agile for scouting, recon, and support._"

"_I see…._" the man pondered, stroking his short gray beard, "_Very well then, Agent Washington will be assigned to A-squad. However,_" he pointed towards Agent Washington, "_He is your responsibility. If he drags your team down, than you bear the consequences. You are both dismissed._"

"_Yes sir!_" both agents saluted.

When the Director and Counselor finally left the training floor, Agent South Carolina disconnected her helmet from her armor and pulled it off. Revealing her long red hair in a low ponytail, a few disheveled bangs covering one of her green eyes.

"Wait, what!?" Ruby screeched.

"Pause it!" Blake demanded.

Yang gawked, "Oh…."

Followed by Nora, "My…."

Then Ren, "Woah."

Jaune stammered at the resemblance, "S-Sh-She looks just like-."

"Me."

Pyrrha approached the hologram of Agent South Carolina, her helmet at her side.

Yang was the first to regain herself, "She looks like you, sounds like you, I could almost mistake her for your big sister."

The amazon didn't respond as she continued to stare at the agent. At first glance they did look similar. Though the freelancer's ponytail was shorter and a lighter shade of red compared to Pyrrha's. Still, their eyes were the same shade of vivid-green. It suddenly made sense to the Mistral champion as to why Wash was so distant to her. She didn't just remind him of her. She was like an older carbon copy.

"Please tell me that this is just a coincidence?" Weiss demanded, afraid of one of her veins popping.

"_The chances of that are very low,_" Delta responded as he resumed the memory.

Agent Washington approached the veteran agent, "_S-Sir-I mean ma'm. I just wanted to say-._"

The young recruit couldn't finish as he was immediately grabbed by his armor's collar. Facing a woman with a glare that was both threatening and frightening.

"_Listen kid,_" the freelancer pulled him until they were face-to-face, "_I took a risk taking you into my squad. You better not make me regret it._"

Once again, the new recruit was thrown onto the floor as he took in what her new CO told her.

"And that's where your similarities end," Yang stated.

South Carolina was about to leave the room, but not before she made one last glance back at her new squadmate, "_And one more thing; I'm more than your superior officer now, I'm your boss. Got it!?_"

"_Y-Yes Boss,_" Wash hesitantly answered.

As the veteran freelancer walked off, the huntresses and huntsmen-in-training reviewed what they had just witnessed.

"She seems….nice," Ruby started off.

"She sounds like I need a safe word to date her," Jaune stated, earning a few glances from his friends, "What?"

"You do realize that the woman resembles your partner right?" Weiss inquired.

"Well…I mean….yeah but…." Jaune hesitantly glanced at Pyrrha.

The Arc knight quickly looked away, his face turning crimson when he realized how awkward his earlier statement was. Pyrrha did the same, clearing her throat with her face also heating up.

"Awww~," Nora sang, "Shipping~!"

Weiss shook her head, "This isn't really the-_gasp_!"

Everyone turned to the heiress who was staring at the entrance to the training floor. In the doorway stood a familiar giant of a man in white armor with orange trim. Yang was the first to step into action as he began to march forward. Only for her fist to once again go straight through her opponent. Ruby tried to do the same with Crescent Rose, but received the same result. The others stood ready for anything with their weapons drawn.

"_There is no need for alarm,_" Delta raised his arms to the students, "_That is Agent Maine before he had gone rogue._"

The huntresses and huntsmen students remained vigilant as they let Maine pass by them until he stood in front of Wash.

"_You the new guy?_" the massive freelancer asked in a deep, throaty voice.

"_Y-Yes sir,_" the recruit answered, intimidated by the stranger's height, "_My codename is Agent Washington._"

"_Maine,_" he replied, "_I'm here to take you to our quarters._"

"_Our quarters?_" Wash asked confused.

"_I'm your roommate,_" Maine simply answered.

"_Um….Nice to meet you,_" Wash stuck out his hand with the giant returning the gesture.

"Hold on a minute!" Yang demanded, "They were roomies!?"

"As in friends!?" Blake followed.

"'_Comrades' would be the more appropriate term,_" Delta answered.

The memory segment came to an end as the room around them began to disappear and reconstruct itself. What was once a massive training room, shrunk down to a lecture hall-style classroom. Teams RWBY and JNPR sat in seats at the back of the room in order to have a full view of their surroundings. Each of the desks were white with a black touch-style table. A large screen was at the front of the classroom with a similar sized window that had full view of the training floor. There was a number next to each of them with South Carolina labeled number 1 at the top. Freelancers were scattered around the room in their own seats looking towards the front. There stood the Director, the Counselor, and Agent Washington.

"Where are we now?" Ruby asked.

"_Project Freelancer's lecture hall,_" the green A.I. answered, "_After finishing that segment we jumped towards the next one of Washington's memories. This was when he was introduced to A-squad the next day._"

A woman with short blonde hair and orchid colored armor rudely asks, "_Who's the brat?_"

"_South, behave,_" the man next to her calmly spoke, sharing the same physical features but wore violet armor.

"_I'm not some fucking dog ass-!_"

"_That's enough!_" the Director announces.

The Counselor stepped forward, "_Everyone, this is Agent Washington….our newest recruit._"

The other freelancers began to murmur amongst each other when they heard the news.

"_He's our newest recruit!?_" the blonde woman whispered rather loudly, "_He's like what!? Ten years old!_"

"_He must be quite skilled to be enlisted so young,_" a man with a rather large moustache in white armor murmured to his partner who was in blue armor.

"_Agent Washington,_" the Counselor looked back, "_Why don't you say hello._"

"_Sir!_" the new freelancer stepped forward and saluted, "_Agent Washington reporting for duty!_"

"Teehee, he said duty," Nora giggled.

Ren simply facepalmed.

"_Kids a bit of a stiff,_" a man with brown hair chuckles.

The Counselor then formed a grin that was both welcoming and suspicious, "_Let us make Agent Washington feel welcome here as much as possible._"

"_That is all for today,_" the Director announced, "_Dismissed._"

The freelancer agents stood up, saluted, and left the room. Some chose to remain behind and greet their newest team member. The first to approach was the man with short brown hair in tan armor. Followed by the blonde man in violet armor and South Carolina.

"_So you're our newest recruit?_" the blonde asked.

"_Yes sir._"

"_You can drop the 'Sir yes sir' kid,_" the brown haired man chuckled.

"_Yes si-I mean….sure._"

"_That's better,_" he pointed at himself, "_I'm New York, but I prefer just York._"

Then the blonde stepped forward, "_I'm North Dakota, but you can call me North._"

Wash looked at the red haired woman who calmly stated, "_Carolina._"

The new freelancer nodded and received a pat on the shoulder from York.

"_Welcome to the team Wash,_" he smiled.

"_Wash?_" the gray freelancer asked.

"_Yeah. We can't call you Washington all the time._"

"_So how are you adjusting so far?_" North asked.

"_Good,_" Wash answered, "_Everyone seems….okay._"

"_Don't worry, they may seem a bit harsh, but they'll grow on you._"

"_So have you been assigned your partner yet?_" York asked.

"_You mean Maine?_" Wash tilted his head.

"_No,_" he chuckled, "_I mean the partner that goes out with you on missions. Didn't Carolina already assign you with one?_"

"_No,_" the new agent answered, "_She didn't._"

"_Really now,_" North playfully glared at the squad leader, "_Quite unlike our _esteemed _leader to wait until the next day to do that._"

"_For your information North,_" Carolina crossed her arms, "_I had to deal with the paperwork needed to transfer our newest member into our squad. That and I had to look over his file to see who he would work best with._"

"_Then why not Maine?_" York asked, "_Their skills compliment each other and they're already living together._"

"_Maine is more effective when he works alone. I'm thinking Wash should work with….,_" Carolina scanned the lecture hall until her eyes caught the last freelancer who was about to leave, "_CT!_"

A woman in her early twenties turned when she heard her nickname. She had long brown undercut hair that covered her right eye, wearing the same colored armor with white trims.

"_What's up?_" the second youngest agent asked.

"_I'm assigning you to be Wash's partner._"

"_Wait, the new kid!?_" the agent known as CT looked at the recruit with disbelief, "_Since when am I a babysitter!?_"

"_Since _you _don't have a partner,_" Carolina deadpanned.

"_Maine doesn't have a partner._"

"_I said the exact same thing,_" York added.

"_No you didn't,_" North scoffed.

"_You already play the role as our team's scout and reconnaissance,_" Carolina continued, "_You and Wash working together can help divide the responsibility._"

"_But-!_"

"_No buts! My decision is final,_" the squad leader stated and marched off.

York followed suit as well as North, but not until the violet freelancer patted her shoulder.

"_Just show him the ropes Connie,_" he gave that same friendly smile, "_He'll catch on._"

When the three agents left, it was only Wash and Connie left in the room.

"_So….Connie,_" the new freelancer awkwardly clapped his hands together, "_You….You got any hobbies?_"

The brown freelancer groaned, "_Listen kid, you better not slow me down out in the field. Also,_" she jabbed a finger into his chestplate, "_I'm Agent Connecticut and I prefer 'CT', not that other name._"

Wash tilted his head, "_Connie?_"

The young woman growled at his response.

He quickly put his hands up to his shoulders, "_I-I-I mean CT! CT it is._"

Ruby giggled at the two agent's interaction, "You know Weiss, this kinda reminds me of the time you and I first met," she didn't hear a response, "Weiss?"

The heiress simply stared at CT, remembering what Wash told her about his old partner….or as much he told her. This was the woman who supported the faunus and destroyed their partnership. Could she be the reason why Wash didn't trust anyone?

"Weiss," the scythe-wielder placed a hand on her shoulder, "You okay?"

"Yeah….Yeah I'm fine," Weiss answered.

"So far things seem fine with Wash," Yang stated, "I'm not seeing any 'traumatic' events."

"_That is because things didn't start to change until another freelancer joined the team two years later,_" Delta replied.

"Another one?" Blake asked.

The two freelancers left the room and once again it collapsed and reconstructed itself. They once again stood in one of the "Mother of Invention's" hallways. Wash was already walking ahead of them, urging the others to follow.

"_Hey Wash, wait up!_" North yelled towards the gray freelancer as he tried to catch up to him, "_Listen, I heard you had a meeting with internals._"

"_Oh, you did?_" Wash simply answered.

"_Yeah, you mind if I ask what it was about?_"

"_Hm, I'm not really supposed to talk about it._"

"_Help me out here,_" North whined, "_I'm still getting heat from using equipment in the field._"

Wash immediately stopped, "_You did!? Without a pipeline back to the command server!?_"

"_I had to improvise,_" the violet freelancer shrugged, "_We had a problem._"

"_Let me guess,_" Wash smirked under his helmet, "_Are you related to the problem?_"

"_Okay now I don't want to talk about it?_" North chuckled and resumed walking.

"_Equipment in the field,_" the gray freelancer grimaced, remembering the stories told by other freelancers around the ship, "_Ya know don't forget what happened Utah during training, you're lucky it didn't kill you._"

"What are they talking about?" Jaune asked.

"_Project Freelancer was in charge of developing new technologies and equipment to give their soldiers an edge._"

"Like an artificial semblance?" Pyrrha asked.

"_Correct._"

"Why doesn't Gulch simply unlock their troop's aura?" Weiss asked.

"_The country's military enlists a variety of people. Most do not know how to weaponize or handle aura so it is simpler to give them equipment that can be reused regularly._"

Blake stepped in, "But based on what Wash said earlier, it doesn't always help."

"_As you may know, there will always be….glitches in the process of development. Agent Utah was given a domed energy shield generator._"

"That's sounds awesome!" Ruby squealed.

"_However, he could only cover his entire head and nearly suffocated._"

"Less awesome."

Yang whistled, "Wow, North was really lucky."

"_If I was lucky,_" North resumed walking, "_Then I wouldn't have needed to use it at all._"

Wash eventually caught up with him, "_Well you can relax. Internals didn't really talk about you. It was something else, mostly about White Fang activity and communications coming from our-UGH!_"

"_S-Sorry sir,_" a white shocktrooper apologized for running into the freelancer.

"_Hey what's going on?_" Wash demanded, "_Soldier, where is everyone going!?_"

"_New agent,_" he reported, "_He's squaring off against Maine, Wyoming, and York on the training room floor. We're going to watch. Hey guys wait up!_"

"_Three on one?_" Wash looked at North, "_Heh, I gotta see this._"

"_Yeah, right behind you._"

The students followed the two freelancers as they jogged towards the training room's observation deck. Carolina, South, and Connie were already there; watching a single freelancer take out three opponents.

"_What's going on down there?_" Carolina asked, "_There's no training sessions on the schedule._"

"_It's impromptu,_" South answered.

"_Who the hell is that?_"

"_Some new recruit,_" the orchid agent nonchalantly stated.

The viewers continued to watch the new freelancer, armed with an electrified pugil stick as the other agents tried to rush her. Only to be launched back in one swing.

"_Wow,_" Wash stated in amazement, "_He sure doesn't move like a recruit._"

"_Why do you assume it's a guy,_" South glared under her helmet, "She's _a girl._"

"_Oh! I-I-I didn't really mean that he - I mean it - I-I mean her - I-._"

"_Right._"

North, Ruby, and Jaune snickered at their teammate's stuttering.

"_Sorry._"

"_Just shut up,_" South growled.

"_Both of you, can it!_" Carolina ordered.

"_Sounds like someone might be a little concerned about their position,_" the orchid freelancer teased, hoping to get under her squad leader's skin.

"_Hey South, pay attention,_" A-squad's leader glared, "_You might actually learn something if you stop running your mouth for once._"

The female agents stared at each other until South stubbornly turned back to the match.

"Someone has an attitude problem," Weiss huffed.

"Look who's talking," Ruby muttered.

The initiation continued with the new black armored agent continuously beating her opponents without getting as much as a scratch. Her movements, both fluid and powerful, caught the eye of a certain blonde.

"Wait," Yang glared at the back of her helmet, "That's the bitch who knocked me out!"

"You sure?" Blake asked.

"Positive. No way I won't forget that face….er….helmet."

The round was declared over when all three agents were on the floor exhausted.

"_Round 1: Over,_" a female voice announced, "_Pugil sticks training: Complete. Point awarded to Texas._"

"Hey I've been meaning to ask," Jaune interrupted, "Who is that announcer lady?"

"_That is F.I.L.S.S. She is the ship's A.I. and is in charge of most of it's systems._"

"So she's like you?" Blake asked this time.

"_F.I.L.S.S. lacks a holographic avatar and her programming is much simpler. She is meant to only operate basic systems such as the PA system and computer updates._"

"_Texas huh?_" Wash looked towards Carolina.

"_I thought that name was reserved._"

"_Nice moves,_" he stated.

"_Could be luck,_" the squad leader suspiciously looked at Agent Texas, "_We'll see._"

"_Beginning hand-to-hand combat,_" F.I.L.S.S. continued, "_Round 2 in 3….2….1….round begin._"

The round begun, and ended, just same. Agents Maine and Wyoming rushed head on into their opponent only to be knocked out. York tried to take command of the situation, but was quickly taken out by Texas. The two agents tried again only to have the new agent throw Maine into Wyoming. York jumped into the fray but then is met with a spinning back elbow and punched to the ground with the same arm.

Everyone in the observation room were wide eyed with Texas' technique. The huntsmen and huntresses in particular.

"Oooh," Jaune groaned, "That's gotta hurt."

"I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that," Ruby added.

"Trust me," Yang rubbed her already healed eye, "I know."

The match was eventually declared over with Agent Texas gaining another point over the veteran agents. Pillars began to raise out of the floor along with a table on two sides of the room with familiar looking pistols and magazines.

"_Hand-to-Hand combat complete. Now resetting the floor for lockdown paint scenario._"

"_Ugh,_" Wash groaned, "_I hate that paint._"

"_Tell me about it,_" South grimaced, "_Stings like a bitch._"

"_Turns your armor as hard as a rock,_" North added.

"_I wouldn't know,_" Carolina stated.

Everyone turned towards the veteran freelancer, calmly leaning against the wall.

"_It's not that bad if you don't let it hit you,_" she snickered.

"_Thanks,_" Wash deadpanned, "_I'll try to remember that._"

York, Maine, and Wyoming had already loaded their training weapons and took cover behind the pillars. Once again, York tried to lead the group only for the others to ignore him and charge him. The three agents were repeatedly shot in a variety of places for a grueling seven minutes. Even when they finally decided to work together, Agent Texas defeated them all.

"_After eight rounds, the score is 0-8. Advantage: Texas._"

"'Advantage' doesn't even come close," Weiss stated.

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, "That last round was pretty brutal."

"I know right!" Nora cheered, "Did you see the way she shot that guy in the dick a bajillion times and then shot that last one in the head without even looking!? So awesome."

Pyrrha fidgeted at the hyperactive girl's description, "It was a bit….excessive."

"_Agent Texas had developed a reputation from this day,_" Delta added, "_Many of the soldiers feared her, earning the nickname 'Ball Buster'._"

"Fitting," Yang blankly stated.

"Hey guys," Ruby waved her teammates over, "Did you see that?"

"What?"

"There," she pointed through the glass, "Wyoming just handed something over to Maine."

"_Round 9 begins in 5….4….3….2….1. Round 9 begin._"

Instead of the non-fatal, yet painful, pellets ejecting from their guns. The sounds of gunfire echoed throughout the training room. Most were shocked by the sudden change of danger in the room.

"_What the-!?_" Wash gasped, "_Are they using live rounds on the training floor!?_"

"_Looks like it,_" South deadpanned.

"_That's against protocol, they're going to kill her!_"

"_Probably,_" Connie stated without a care.

"What the hell is wrong with these people!?" Weiss blurted, "Don't they realize that someone could get hurt!?"

"_Someone should get the Director!_" Wash continued.

"_The Director?_" Connie laughed, "_Who do you think gave them the ammo?_"

Carolina glared at the rebellious agent through her helmet, "_Watch your mouth CT!_"

Despite being under fire from a hail of bullets, Texas seemed to maintain her composure. She dodged one clump of lead after the other, even continuing to use the practice pellets to counter against them. However, unlike his other teammates, York didn't approve and tried to assist Texas. Surprisingly, the black freelancer denied the aid for assistance and even went as far as fighting against him as well.

"What's her deal!?" Yang glared at the female freelancer, "Someone is obviously trying to help you, but you repay them with a kick to the stomach!?"

"Somebody who obviously likes to work alone," Blake explained.

As the battle intensified, so did Maine's rage. From the second the initiation started he was humiliated by this one freelancer, and a woman no less. Soldiers feared the giant of a man for his violence and cold demeanor. Yet here he was, being thrown around like a child. He wanted to rectify that, and when Wyoming handed him the bullets and a grenade, nothing else needed to be said. After charging into a pillar, sending it towards the accursed recruit but instead into York. Even so he quickly pulled the pin from his grenade and tossed it towards Texas. She calmly dodged the explosive, only for it to roll next a dazed York. However, instead of saving him, Texas repeatedly shot the tan freelancer until he was covered with hardened paint pellets.

The whole room, even the observation deck, rumbled when the grenade went off.

"_Shit!_" North shouted, "_What the hell are they doing!?_"

Washington slammed his fist, "_Dammit! Those maniacs!_"

Carolina quickly headed towards the room's intercom, "_F.I.L.S.S. send a medical team to the training floor stat!_"

Everyone quickly rushed out of the room, all accept Yang when a familiar sight caught her eye. There he was again, the young boy from the airfield, only this time she had a better look at him. He wore tan shorts, black sneakers, and a gray t-shirt with trims of a familiar shade of yellow. His hair was short and blonde, but his bangs were long enough to cover his eyes. Even so, Yang could tell that he was just blankly staring at her.

"Sis come on!"

The blonde brawler looked at her sister, motioning her to catch up with the others. She looked backed at the training floor and once again, he was gone. Yang couldn't help but suspiciously glare at the spot where the boy once was until she decided to return to her sister's side. The huntsmen and freelancers arrived at the scene along with the medics who were trailing behind them. Carolina was the first to arrive at York's side, who was the worst of them all.

"_York!_" she panicked, "_Get over here now!_"

"_Yes ma'm,_" the medic responded.

"_Come on York,_" the squad leader mumbled, "_Hang in there._"

"_I can't believe she did that,_" South stated in disbelief, "_Shot his armor, sacrificed him._"

"_Lockdown hardens the armor,_" Washington defended, "_She probably saved his life._"

"_Quick thinking,_" North added.

"_Yeah,_" Carolina stared at the black freelancer, "_Really quick._"

"_Everyone! Stand down now!_" a new voice announced.

The freelancers who were fit immediately stood in formation as the Director and Counselor entered the room.

"_You should be ashamed of yourselves,_" he lectured, "_I expected you all to act as a team!_"

"_They were using live rounds on the training floor sir,_" Wash reported, "_That's against regulation-._"

The Director angrily stomped towards the young agent, "_Do you think our enemies will care about rules and regulations when in the heat of battle, Agent Washington!?_"

"_Wait. S-So you're not punishing them?_"

"_Ingenuity and adaptability are admirable traits,_" the Director stated with his back towards the agents, "_You should all learn something from this. Dismissed._"

"What the fuck!?" Yang glared at the man, "One of his guys was almost killed and he's okay with that!?"

"_The Director has always had a….unique view on the role of regulations in warfare,_" Delta added.

"Theres a reason why those rules are there," Weiss rebutted, "Otherwise we'd be nothing but savages."

"But that's war," Blake added, "You can't expect everyone to act civil when the bullets start flying."

"_Yeah,_" C.T. snickered next to Wash, "_You should learn something alright._"

"_I can't believe this,_" Wash huffed incredulously.

"_Don't forget to check your place on that list Wash,_" she teased.

As the members of Project Freelancer left the room one by one, Ruby couldn't help but notice something off about Agent Texas. The other injured agents were escorted by medics in white uniforms, however, these men wore outfits that were completely black. Why would there be a separate medical team for this one agent? Even more suspicious was the blue sparks coming from her armor. Unfortunately, the young huntress couldn't really think about it as the memory began to deconstruct and rebuild itself.

Now they stood in Project Freelancer's lecture hall. All of the agents of A-squad were present, minus Agent Texas. The Beacon students were also seated in the back rows of the classroom once again.

Pyrrha sighed in relief at the sight of a certain tan freelancer, "So York survived his injuries."

"_Yes, however Agent York lost vision in his left eye from the grenades blast. As an apology for what transpired the Director assigned York with an A.I. fragment to assist him in the field._"

"Some apology," Yang crossed her arms, "'Hey, sorry you nearly died back there. Heres a shiny computer program to make you shut up.'"

"So what's happening now?" Jaune asked.

"_A few weeks after Agent Texas joined A-Squad, freelancer agents were starting to be assigned A.I. partners. This of course led to seminars and classes overgoing how to properly use them._"

The Counselor lectured from the podium, "_As the Director….accurately predicted, we see that cognitive impression modeling can be segregated from the host. Naturally, this remains an inherently deconstructive process. But most of all the biggest concern of any full A.I. entity is prospect of rampancy, covered last week._"

The Director paced across the room in order to see if his agents were still paying attention, "_Of course our A.I. units are what we call fragments, so there's very little chance that a personality subroutine can run off unchecked._"

"_Are there any questions?_" the Counselor asked the group.

"Um…." Ruby stared both wide-eyed and confused, "What?"

"_The Counselor is basically explaining how an A.I. is created and copied, but can also run rampant,"_ Delta answered, "_However, the Director states that the programs assigned to agents are only fragments so the chances of rampancy are far lower._"

"Why give their agents fragments of an A.I.?" Weiss asked, "Wouldn't they be considerably weaker?"

"_A.I. fragments or A.I.F.'s can have the same processing power as a 'smart' A.I., but they lack a full personality. They are often based on a sole human emotion._"

"So where do these 'fragments' come from?" Ren asked.

"_No one really knows,_" Delta answered, earning a confused look from everyone, "_There were rumors that the project received only one 'smart' A.I. Since the military wouldn't provide anymore and it was too expensive to make their own, they decided to copy it._"

"Wait," Weiss cut in, "They copied them!? That shouldn't be possible."

"This coming from a country that makes flying battleships and holograms," Yang deadpanned, "I wouldn't be surprised if they already could."

"But it shouldn't be!" the heiress shrieked, "There is no scientific or technological procedure that could-!"

"Maybe we should get back to the memory," Ruby interrupted, putting a calming hand on her partner's shoulder, "Before one of us pops another blood vessel again."

"Yeah, we're kind getting off topic here," Jaune added.

"_I got a question?_" South aggressively asked, "_Why do we need to learn all this stuff!?_"

"_A.I. theory is like vehicle maintenance,_" Carolina answered, "_If we're going to use this equipment...any equipment. We have to know how to take care of it._"

"_Oh yeah, like a coffee maker or a vacuum cleaner,_" South grumbled.

A small purple armored hologram fidgeted nervously, "_Uh…._"

"_That was rather rude,_" a familiar green hologram stated.

"Hey Delta!" Ruby pointed, "It's you!"

"_In a way,_" the green A.I.F. answered, "_Remember that I am the memory of Delta. The real Delta was assigned to Agent York after he sustained his injuries._"

"Then who's the purple one?" Pyrrha asked.

"He's so cute and tiny!" Nora squealed, "I just want to feed him a small cracker."

"_That is Theta, at this point in time he was the most recent edition to the squad and was assigned to Agent North Dakota._"

"_Oh cry me a river lightbulb,_" South sarcastically whined.

"_No,_" Carolina impassively stated, "_Not the same thing._"

"_I don't even have one because _someone _didn't bring enough to share,_" the temperamental woman whined, "_So why am I sitting through this elementary. Classroom. Bullshit?_"

"_I don't have one either South._"

"_That's only because you gave yours to Maine,_" York stated, pointing towards the hulking agent in the darkest corner of the room.

"_He needed to be able to communicate with us after his injury._"

"What injury?" Blake asked.

"_On a previous mission, Maine suffered multiple wounds to his throat and lost the ability to speak. Since then he is only able to emanate hisses and-_"

"_Ggggrraaagghhh!_"

"_Snarls._"

"_Oh yeah,_" South chuckled, a hint of sarcasm in her voice, "_That's the only reason you did it. You're a real hero Carolina. It's not like Maine has much to say anyway._"

North shook his head in disappointment at his sister's attitude while Maine let out a low growl.

"Geez, what's with her?" Jaune asked.

"Kinda reminds me of someone I know," Yang smirked at a certain teammate.

Weiss simply scowled at the blonde.

An A.I.F. hologram then hovered in front of Maine as he addressed the classroom. He was different compared to the other programs. Instead of wearing armor he wore the same uniform as the Director and Counselor. The only difference was that he was continuously on fire.

"_I would like to say, just how appreciative the two of us are for Carolina's sacrifice. Agent Carolina, if anyone can excel without an A.I. unit, it is you._"

"_Thank you Sigma._"

"_And Agent Texas,_" he added, "_That goes without saying._"

"_Right_," the veteran agent grumbled.

"_If she isn't taking these classes then why do we!?_" South complained once again.

"_Agent Texas doesn't need this training,_" the Director glared under his glasses.

The Counselor quickly stepped in, "_What the Director means is that Agent Texas has already completed her A.I. theory course work. I think that's enough for-._"

"_If I may Counselor, I have a question,_" Sigma interrupted.

"_Yes?_"

"_On the different levels of A.I. awareness and rampancy._"

"_Melancholia, anger-._"

"_Specifically the fourth stage of rampancy._"

"_Meta-stability?_" the Counselor curiously glanced at the fragment.

"_Preciseley,_" Sigma emphasized, "_The meta stage, in which an A.I. can be considered fully human._"

"_That is only theoretical Sigma. No A.I. has achieved such a state._"

"_But it is possible._"

"_In theory, but-._"

"_But possible,_" the fiery A.I. leaned forward, "_I find that rather interesting._"

The entire room's attention was drawn towards the one hologram, their interests piqued and their nerves on edge.

"_Remember, Sigma, that you're not even a full A.I.,_" the Counselor calmly rebutted, "_You are a fragment. So something of that magnitude would be even more difficult for….an entity such as yourself._"

"_Well, as the Director once said,_" the fragment stepped forward with his hands behind his back, "'_It is important to have ambition.'_"

"_Why yes it is,_" the man in question replied, "_Class is dismissed._"

The freelancer's began to exit the room and go about their day. Wash had already replaced his helmet and was the last to leave until he noticed Maine was still sitting in his seat. The gray freelancer waved a hand in front of his roommate's face, but received no response. He looked back at the front of the classroom and saw Sigma floating in front of the screen.

"_Hey Sigma,_" Wash called out, "_The others have already left. You coming?_"

"_Yes,_" the fiery A.I.F. slightly looked back, "_Yes. I will be with them shortly._"

The young agent looked at the hologram but innocently shrugged and left. As the room virtually fell apart, the two teams gathered together and reviewed what they saw.

"Is it me or did that Sigma seem a bit….suspicious?" Ruby asked.

"No, really," Weiss replied with mock surprise, "What gave it away? His calm demeanor? The 'man-on-fire' motif?"

"I'm just saying. He was asking some pretty weird questions back there. What do you think Delta?"

"..."

"Delta?"

Everyone look towards the green A.I. fragment as they realized that he was surprisingly quiet. They realized parts of his holographic body were phasing back and forth between green and blue.

"Delta?" Blake stepped forward, "Are you okay?"

"_I am….not at liberty to say._"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jaune asked.

"_It is currently not the logical choice to tell you at the moment._"

"Wait," Blake stared suspiciously, "Are you….afraid?"

"_The memory is starting,_" Delta quickly replied, "_We must continue._"

Both teams looked at each other and knew that Delta, or Epsilon, was trying to hide something. They knew that pushing further would only delay them on their walk down Wash's lane of memories. The students looked at their surroundings and found themselves in what seemed to be the ship's mess hall. Of course it was much smaller compared to the one at Beacon, the ceiling was lower and there were pillars spread evenly out amongst the rows of tables. There were currently a few freelancers in the room, but the students' attention was directed towards the table where North and Wash were sitting. The violet freelancer, had his helmet removed, in order to watch the holographic performance given by his A.I. partner.

"_That's really great Theta!_" North praised, admiring the small holographic fireworks going off in front of him.

"_Thank you,_" the purple A.I.F. happily replied, "_I worked super hard on it._"

"_Hey Theta,_" York approached the table and took a seat in front of them, "_Do you mind if I can talk with North for a second?_"

"_Uh….okay._"

"_Need you to shut down while we talk, okay? Delta too,_" he glanced at the green A.I.F., "_You know, it's the rules._"

Theta innocently looked at his partner, "_North?_"

"_It'll be okay. I won't take long,_" the violet freelancer comforted, holding out his hand for Theta to step into.

"_Yeah all right,_" the childish program said as he disappeared in a flash of purple.

"_I need to ask you about something,_" York started.

"_O-Okay, shoot?_"

"_Have you heard about the Alpha?_" he whispered

North nervously looked around the room, "_Where did you hear that word?_"

"_Same place you did,_" the tan freelancer tapped the side of his head, "_Up here._"

"_What's an Alpha?_" Wash jumped in, his voice muffled from his mouth being stuffed with food.

"_Wash?_" York looked at the young agent, "_Are you eating inside your helmet?_"

"_Maybe,_" he casually shrugged, his voice still muffled, "_Delta said that they got the helmet waste disposal out of beta,_" he took a quick sip from his soda can by putting the straw through an opening on his helmet where his mouth would be, "_That it would make my eating more efficient._"

Weiss stared flabbergasted, "That has got to be-."

"The greatest. Invention. Ever. Of all time!" Nora squealed, "Think about it, you won't ever have to take off your helmet ever again."

"Nora, you don't wear a helmet," Jaune stated.

"Not when she's on a sugar high," Ren grimaced, recollecting the memories of a hyperactive Nora and the millions of lien in property damage.

"_And you believed that!_" York laughed, "_Maybe he is getting more personable._"

"_Wash; it's not _an _Alpha, it's _the _Alpha,_" North lectured, "_Theta thinks about him alot. More than thinks, really. It almost like he's obsessed._"

"_Delta too,_" York contemplated, "_Ya know how all the units call each other 'brother'? They call this one 'father'. No….not that._"

"_Creator,_" North pointed.

"_Yeah._"

"_But I thought the Director would be their creator?_" Wash asked after he took a bite from his banana.

"_Haven't you paid any attention in class?_" York scolded, "_A.I.'s aren't created, they're copies of someone._"

"_Yeah, but our A.I.'s are just fragments,_" North added.

"_Which begs the question….where's the original?_"

Wash asked again after taking a bite out of his apple, "_So this Alpha-thing….is what….creates their fragments?_"

"Okay, where the hell the did he get those fruit!?" Yang demanded, "And how can you bite and apple through a helmet!?"

The others simply shrugged.

"_Oh for the love of-,_" York facepalmed, "_Will you swallow for God's sake!_"

His voice and throat now clear of food, he asked again, "_It creates them?_"

"_Theta wasn't really clear,_" North hesitantly shrugged, "_It creates them or….something._"

"_Yeah,_" York furrowed his brow, "_It's the 'or something' part that has me worried._"

Then the memory had ended.

"So the freelancers started to ask questions," Weiss crossed her arms, "I take it this was when things started to change for Wash."

"Sadly, yes," Delta nodded, "There was a growing fracture between the freelancer's ranks. Many were suspicious of the Director's activities while there were those who continued to follow the chain of command."

"Which side was Wash on?" Yang asked.

"Agent Washington chose to remain neutral, wanting to ignore what was going on."

"He watched while his squadmates tore each other part," Blake added, realizing what Wash meant when he spoke to them for the last time.

"_Precisely._"

As their environment began to rebuild, the huntress and huntsmen-in-training couldn't help but feel that things were beginning to get serious. What awaited further down their teammate's memories? What incidents turned such a naive, but likable young man into a cold and distant soldier? They didn't know what to expect. For now, all they can do is just watch.

* * *

**A/N:**

**I know some of you nitpickers will criticize my accuracy with A.I. science. I'm no expert on the subject so I'm trying to interpret it and make it more simple. How you see it is up to you.**

**Just like before, please leave a review and I will see you all soon.**

**GaryOkampo logging off...**

**[CONNECTION TERMINATED]**


	17. Project Freelancer II

**A/N:[CONNECTION ESTABLISHED]**

**GaryOkampo logging on…**

**YES, FINALLY! FINALLY! I'm done! I'm-!**

_***Collapses onto the ground***_

**Epsilon: Awww, poor bastards tuckered out.**

**Delta: Onto the chapter.**

* * *

As the memory began the two teams now stood in the hallway with Washington walking as he looked over a datapad. That is, until he bumped into a familiar soldier in black armor.

"_Watch where you're going!_" Texas barked.

"_S-Sorry,_" the young freelancer nervously replied, "_I-uh-I wasn't looking._"

"_Obviously,_" she glared under her helmet, but then her tone slightly softened, "_Hey, haven't I seen you before._"

"_Agent Washington, ranked 6th on the leaderboard._"

"..."

"_From A-Squad._"

"..."

"_The same squad you've been a part of for months now._"

"..."

"_We had a sparring match last week and you sent me to the infirmary with a fractured-._"

"_I know who you are,_" Texas deadpanned.

"_Sorry._"

She shifted her weight onto one leg and crossed her arms, "_Your partners with that other kid, the one in the brown armor. What's her name….Con-something?_"

"_Connie? Yeah, but she's not really a kid. She should be in her mid-twenties by now._"

"_Whatever,_" the black freelancer waved off, "_Has she been acting….weird lately?_"

"_What? You mean her rebellious attitude, questioning of authority, and anti-socialness?_" Wash shrugged, "_That's just Connie being Connie for you._"

"_Well she has to get her attitude checked,_" Texas huffed, "_The Director is starting to lose patience with her._"

"_Are they going to fire her or something?_"

"_What do I care? All they said was that she's been acting pretty suspicious lately._"

"_Look, Connie and I have been partners for years now,_" Wash assured her, "_Sure she can be a bit…skeptical, but she's just as much as a soldier as the rest of us. And I trust her._"

Texas could only look over the naive soldier, "_...Do you?_"

"_I wouldn't be partners with her if I didn't._"

The hallway was silent for a few moments until Texas wordlessly walked passed him.

She glanced at the young agent before leaving him be, "_You should watch how much trust you put into people. Sometimes they're not what they appear to be."_

He clenched his fist as he remembered her words of advice every time her metallic boots collided with the floor.

"_She said that to me once._"

The brief segment faded as quickly as it began and restarted the process. For once, the huntresses and huntsmen-in-training weren't within the confines of the Mother of Invention. Instead they stood on a grassy cliffside, surrounded by tombstones. Three staircases separated the cemetery into three sections, all leading upwards towards the peak. At the top of the cliff was a black diamond-shaped memorial with names inscribed on it's surface, photos of loved ones taped to it, and bouquets of flowers both fresh and withered surrounding it. All with the setting sun, enveloping the land with a mixture of orange and yellow hues.

"Where are we?" Weiss asked as she looked over the many grave markers.

"_This is a memorial that commemorates those who lost their lives in the Great War and is the cemetery for those who have died in the years that followed._"

"H-How many graves are here?" Pyrrha hesitantly asked.

"_...I could give you the exact number….but that would only unsettle you more._"

"All this," Ruby scanned the horizon, her innocent mind slightly disturbed, "I thought we were in a time of peace."

"For the people of Gulch," Blake clenched her fists with both disgust and regret, "It probably never ended."

"Charming," Yang frowned, trying to lighten the mood.

In one of the rows of tombstones near the center staircase was Connie, wearing her armor but placed her helmet at her side out of respect. She was kneeling before three grave markers, a small bouquet on each of them. Washington patiently stood on the stairs who was also wearing his armor and helmet, but kept his head lowered and hands crossed. Moments of silence passed until the brown armored freelancer stood up and delivered a sharp salute. She approached the young agent at an undetermined pace.

"_You know you suck at tailing someone, right?_" Connie frowned, "_I could tell it was you the minute we left the ship._"

"_Guess I still need practice,_" Wash shrugged, but then glanced at the three graves marked with flowers.

The young woman let out a pained smile, "_My parents and older brother. All three were decorated soldiers and were buried side-by-side in honor for their sacrifice._"

"_I'm sorry,_" the gray freelancer apologized.

"_Don't be, it's been a long time,_" she put an uncharacteristically friendly hand on his shoulder, "_Let's talk somewhere else._"

The two youngest freelancers in their squad ascended the staircase towards the black war memorial. The others soon followed, but a hauntingly familiar shiver ran up a certain blonde's spine.

"_**Are you my friend?**_"

Yang fiercely turned around to find the mysterious child. There he was, at the bottom of the stairs, still staring at her blankly. The blonde brawler couldn't help but ball her fists. This boy was starting to get on her nerves. How he continued to appear then disappear in a matter of seconds grew to be a hassle. The fiery blonder stormed down the steps in an effort to not lose him before he vanished.

Yet he did, once again.

The boy disappeared the second she reached the base of the stairs. As if he simply faded away. She huffed in exhaustion, frantically looking for any sign him, but found nothing.

"Fuck!" she cursed, but wasn't loud enough for the others to notice.

"Yang?" a calming hand was put onto her shoulder. It was Blake.

"Are you okay?" the faunus asked.

"Yes-I mean no-It's just-! Agh!" the blonde pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"You've been acting strange since we got in here. Did you see something?"

"More like someone," she sighed, "A little kid. Keeps disappearing and reappearing now and again. Calls out to me at certain times."

Yang looked at her partner with worry, "Tell me I'm not going crazy?"

Blake's expression was blank, but her eyes showed deep compassion for someone she grew to care about.

"I don't think you are," she shook her head, "We're virtually inside someone's mind. Who knows what we might find."

"You think it means anything?"

"I'm no psychiatrist," Blake sadly answered, "The boy could be part of the memory or something else entirely. Just….let us know the next time you see him okay?"

Yang slowly nodded and the faunus kindly guided her back to the group.

The others were at a resting area near the memorial. Ruby, Weiss, and Nora were sitting on a bench that happened to be under a tree, it's leaves green with life. Jaune, Ren, and Pyrrha stood behind them; waiting for the other two.

"Where'd you girls go?" Jaune asked when he saw the two of them approach.

"Got sidetracked," Yang smirked, pretending what happened earlier, "We miss anything?"

"Nope," Nora answered, "We were just waiting for you."

* * *

**Que: Valkyria Chronicles OST - Farewell and Tears**

* * *

Both Connie and Wash leaned on the railing that overlooked the bay. The city's lights were already lit, even before the night sky reached them. The ocean reflected the setting sun which made it glow with dark orange hues. At the city's docks were multiple hover-cruisers, including the "Mother of Invention", stationed to resupply and refuel. Then there was the sea wall, built by the military to prevent enemy ships from ever attacking the port.

Connie couldn't help but take in the scenery around her, "_Ya know, this was where the final battle happened during the last days of the Great War. The day when Gulch pushed back the 'tyrannical invaders'._"

"_I remember,_" Wash chuckled under his helmet, "_My instructors back at the academy told me to remember that day and what our ancestors learned from it._"

The young woman scowled and was silent for a few minutes.

"_I take it you have a lot of questions._"

"_No,_" the gray freelancer replied, "_I just wanted to warn you._"

"_Warn me?_" she smirked.

"_The Director is starting to lose patience with your behavior. Add in the rumors of a mole within the project and they might suspect that it's you._"

"_I didn't think you cared,_" Connie teased.

"_You're my partner,_" Wash stated, "_I'm supposed to care._"

She frowned again at the young agent, "_Well, nobody asked you._"

The brown freelancer flipped over, her back against the railing with her arms crossed under her chest, the wind briefly blowing through her hair.

"_Connie, what's going on?_"

The woman in question let out a melancholic smirk, "_No matter how many times I tell you Wash. You always call me that._"

"_Well it stuck after we first met._"

Connie glanced at the young man, a teasing smile on her face with small glint of amusement in her eyes.

"_I-I mean when we were partnered together,"_ Wash blushed under his helmet.

"..."

"..."

"_...Hey Wash?_"

"_Yeah._"

"_Do you….Do you ever wonder why we're here?_"

"_What do you mean?_"

"_It's just…we've fought for so long and I'm not just talking about the freelancers. I'm talking about Gulch, our home,_" Connie stated the last two words bitterly.

"_We're protecting our home,_" Wash stated with naive pride.

"_From what!? The Grimm, I get. The White Fang, sure. But the world!? Ever since the war ended, we've literally turned this country into a prison,_" she pointed towards the sea wall, "_That thing was built to keep us in this little box we call a home._"

"_The sea wall was built to protect us!_" Wash defended, "_Our ancestors knew that something like the Great War would happen again and we're being prepared._"

"_So we deem anything from the outside a threat!? That's not being prepared, that's paranoia. All of this!_" Connie motioned to the graves of dead soldiers, "_Is from paranoia! We train constantly for a war that may never come. Swatting away chances to make peace with the kingdoms because we're too prideful, too scared to even try the idea. We can learn so much more from them._"

"_What you're saying is treason!_" the young freelancer shouted, "_People will _actually _think you're the mole. They'll imprison you for the rest of your life, maybe even execute you._"

"_Then at least I'll die by speaking my mind!_" she scoffed, "_It's a lot better than being reduced to a number in Gulch's casualty count._"

The young agent eventually snapped, he grabbed his partner by the collar of her armor and glared at her through his reflective visor.

"_How dare you!?_" he growled, "_These men and women gave their lives protecting their loved ones from the very threats you're defending._"

"_Of course you'd be on their side. You probably enlisted because of all that propaganda they advertise: 'Defend your homes', 'Serve your country', 'Do you want to know more?'._"

"_You don't understand!_" he shoved the woman away.

Connie dusted herself while Wash clenched his fists through his gloves.

"_You don't understand,_" he whispered.

There was an intense silence between the two.

Wash looked towards the bay, a pained sigh escaping his helmet's ventilator, "_When I was a kid….I lost something precious to me._"

Connie's eyes slightly widened at the news. He had never heard Wash talk about his past before. Then again, she wanted to keep their relationship strictly professional and didn't want to change that.

"_The military found me, gave me a purpose. I just want to do something like that for someone else,_" he held out his hand and clenched it, "_As a soldier; I'll gladly give my life to protect the people, my home, and Gulch. Even if no one will remember my name when I do die, I'll be happy knowing I at least died doing my duty._"

The brown armored freelancer could only stare in amazement at Wash's short speech.

* * *

**End: Valkyria Chronicles OST - Farewell and Tears**

* * *

She couldn't help but let out a small snicker, "_You've got a pretty innocent view on the world, don't ya?_" she then patted him on the shoulder, "_Thanks Wash, I'm starting to feel a lot better._"

The young agent tilted his head in confusion, "_Huh?_"

"_Forget what I said earlier, that was just me venting._"

"_V-Venting?_"

"_Just another stressful week for me, you know how it is,_" she shrugged with little care, "_Nothing to worry about._"

She turned away and walked off, "_You hungry? I'm craving barbecue, how about steak?_"

Wash could only gawk at his partner, "_W-What?_"

"_I said do you want to get some steak? Unless you want seafood?_"

"_I-I um….steak,_" the young man hesitantly answered as he jogged next to her, the two now shoulder to shoulder, "_Steak sounds good._"

"_You drink?_" Connie asked as they walked down the steps.

"_I'm underage,_" Wash stated.

"_Hmph, didn't stop me,_" she replied with a friendly pat on the back.

"Aww," Ruby cooed as the room fell apart, "It's nice to see partners make-up."

"I don't know," Weiss' brow furrowed, "Connie changed her mind pretty quickly. Even then they still…."

The heiress trailed off when she realized that she was the only one who knew the story between the two freelancers. The others looked at her curiously.

"What?" Yang asked.

Weiss hesitantly looked away, a dreaded silence enveloping the group.

"_The memory is starting,_" Delta announced.

The two teams now stood in a ruined section of a city. Buildings were in ruins and vehicles were ablaze and/or destroyed. Gunfire echoed throughout the once thriving city. Their instincts taking over, the students dove to the closest cover they could find with their weapons drawn. Ruby and Weiss crouched in front of a cracked half-wall with Ruby's scythe in it's sniper-form scanning the area for threats. Yang and Blake stood behind the corner of a building. Jaune had his shield raised to protect himself from any shrapnel as Pyrrha aimed her weapon's rifle-form. Nora and Ren were back-to-back, weapons in their gun forms as they anticipated any danger.

"What the hell is going on!" Jaune panicked over the sounds of explosions.

"_We are currently in the memory where Agent Washington and his squad were conducting a raid on a White Fang stronghold,_" Delta calmly answered.

"This is a raid!?" Weiss screeched as she protected herself from flying dust, "It's more like warzone."

"The White Fang buy from the black market and steal from local militaries," Blake explained, Gamboul Shroud's pistol form in her hand, "It's how they're always so well armed."

"Over there!" Ruby pointed towards the alley way across from them.

It was Wash as he sprinted towards the side entrance of a massive warehouse. The other freelancers were at the front, firing into windows and doorways in order to grab the enemy's attention.

"We have to follow him!" Yang shouted.

"Are you crazy!?" Weiss stared wide-eyed, "We can't run into a hail of gunfire, we'll be slaughtered!"

"_Remember that this is a simulation. There is no physical danger._"

"You heard the….glowing….guy. Come on!" the blonde charge forward.

"Yang wait!" Ruby shouted, chasing after her sister.

The others soon followed suit. As Delta explained, they weren't in physical danger. Bullets from boths sides seem to pass through them, however they found the sensation to be a slightly….disturbing. It still didn't change the fact that they could still hear the sounds of battle surrounding them.

The two teams panted in both exhaustion and relief after sprinting across what felt like a kilometer through a battlefield.

"We are never….doing that….again," Jaune panted.

"We're fine," Yang casually waved off, "This stuff isn't real anyway."

"Some of us are not as thick skinned or as thick headed as you," Weiss mumbled.

"Where's Wash?" Ruby asked.

"_He is over there,_" Delta pointed towards an open doorway on the right wall.

The gray freelancer stayed close to the wall, his battle rifle at the ready. In front of him was his partner, who was unbeknownst to his presence.

"_Connie,_" Wash whispered.

The young woman jumped when she heard his voice, quickly drawing her two pistols.

"_Wash!?_" she hissed, "_What the hell are you doing here? Why aren't you outside with the others?_"

"_We lost track of you when the firefight started. I caught a glimpse of you heading inside so I followed._"

"_I was doing recon,_" the brown freelancer explained, glaring under her helmet's eye-shaped visor, "_I can handle it myself._"

"_Well I'm here now. Besides,_" he lightly punched her shoulder, "_I can't leave my partner hanging, can I?_"

Connie gave a troubled look towards her partner. It sometimes got on her nerves at how innocent and naive Wash was. The way he happily followed orders and so easily trusted his squadmates. It made her slightly cringe at his friendly nature, yet at the same time, she secretly appreciated it. Of course she wouldn't tell him that.

"_So what've we got?_" Wash asked.

Connie kneeled close to the ground, a small portion of her helmet peeking into the cargo area of the warehouse. Wash remained standing, also glancing at what awaited them. The others scurried to the other side of the doorway, glancing into the massive room. Ruby on the bottom, Blake above her, and Yang on top.

"What do you see?" Weiss asked.

"Wow," Yang stated awestruck.

"'Wow?'" Pyrrha asked this time.

"That's…." Ruby stared with shock and excitement, "A lot of guns."

The rest of the students looked inside and their eyes widened with similar shock. The cargo area also served as the building's vehicle depot. Five turret-mounted cars and even a tank were being loaded with weapons and supplies as White Fang soldiers desperately prepared to evacuate.

"_I count 10 hostiles,_" Connie reported.

"_I'm running a scan right now,_" Wash touched the side of his helmet, his visor scanning each of them, "_Holy shit._"

"_What?_"

"_There,_" he pointed towards a soldier atop a weapons crate.

The White Fang member was dressed differently in comparison to the others. He wore the mask of lieutenant but his black hood hid most of his features. The armor he wore was militaristic, similar to those from the ODST brigade, with white and gray body armor covering every inch of his body. The symbol of the White Fang was boldly painted on his chest plate while a pair of collapsible tomahawks were attached to his back and waist.

"_Load those crates and get them on the transports!_" he commanded, "_Our brothers can't hold those fascists off for long._"

"_It's the leader,_" Wash stated with amazement

"_You're shitting me,_" Connie looked up at him, "_What are the chances of finding him here?_"

"_Well it must be our lucky day then,_" Wash shrugged, "_Imagine what we can find out when we capture him. We could probably even take down the entire Gulch branch._"

"_Yeah,_" Connie whispered, staring at the terrorist leader.

She took out a metal sphere, roughly the size of a soccer ball, that had a glowing yellow cross on the top.

"_I'll throw a flare and we storm inside on my mark. Sync?_"

"_Sync,_" Wash answered.

"_Mark!_"

Connie immediately threw the flare into the room, enveloping it with light. The two freelancer's stormed in, taking out all hostiles that stood between them and their objective. Some of the White Fang who were able to shield their eyes quickly drew their weapons, but were instantly shot down. Even those who were blinded tried to reach for something to defend themselves, but met the same fate. When the gunfire settled, there was only a couple of soldiers and the leader standing.

"_Hands up!_" Wash motioned with his battle rifle, "_Get on the ground and put your hands on your head. Slowly._"

The terrorists did as they were told, giving death glares under their Grimm masks, all accept the leader who eyeballed the young freelancer.

"_Didn't you hear me!?_" Wash threatened, the barrel aimed between the mask's eye holes, "_I said put your hands up._"

The leader slowly did as he was told, but continued to stare at Wash.

"_I didn't think you'd show up,_" he said.

"_Quiet!_" the gray freelancer ordered and placed his free hand onto the side of his helmet, "_Boss, it's Wash. We found the leader and are waiting in the vehicle bay._"

"..."

"_Roger, holding position,_" he resumed aiming at their newly acquired prisoners, "_Back-up is on it's way. Connie, cuff him._"

"_Heh,_" the leader scoffed, "_I thought you never liked being called that?_"

"_I said be quie-! Wait, what did you say?_"

"_Wasn't talking to you,_" he answered, not even glancing at the gray freelancer, "_I'm a bit hurt that you don't let me call you by your real name._"

"_Because it makes me sound like a damn kid,_" she answered.

Wash slowly looked back at his partner. The young soldier's eyes widened in confusion at her. At first he thought she was keeping her sights on the leader, but soon realized that her pistol was aimed towards him. Her hand tightly squeezing the handle and trigger.

"C-Con-?"

_BANG!_

The gunshot and the shell bouncing off the metal floor were the only sounds that rang throughout the warehouse. Timed seemed to slow down as Wash slowly fell to his knees and onto the steel cold floor….a burning hole in his back.

Everyone was shocked and horrified at what had just played out in front of them. Yang, on the other hand, couldn't hold back the rage building inside her as she glared at the woman who had shot her own partner in the back. Every fiber of her being told her to beat the bitch until her helmet cracked, and keep on going until she was paste. She took a threatening step forward, but was stopped when she felt a hand grab her own. The enraged blonde looked back and saw Blake, a pained expression on her face as she sadly shook her head. Yang's anger eventually dissipated as she came to understand that it was all an illusion. A projection of an event that had already occurred, and could not be stopped. Still, that didn't mean she had to like it.

"_For the record, _you _were about to leave me behind._" Connie smirked under her helmet as she walked passed Wash's body, "_I should feel hurt._"

"_I was worried about you,_" the leader stood back up, the other White Fang members followed suit, "_Didn't think you could get away_."

"_I did, I just didn't expect him-,_" she motioned towards her partner, "_To show up._"

"_Then we should get moving,_" the leader.

"_Uuuugghh._"

Everyone looked at the source of the pained grumbling and saw that Agent Washington was semi-conscious.

"_Damn it, he's still alive,_" the White Fang leader took out his tomahawk.

Connie quickly stepped in front of him, "_No wait!_"

The leader looked at her with confusion, demanding an explanation.

"_He's fatally wounded and is probably gonna die in the next three minutes. Plus the others are not too far behind._"

"_But he now knows you're the traitor!_"

"_They already suspect it's me,_" Connie looked back at her partner with pity, "_He just couldn't accept that._"

"_...Fine,_" the leader sighed and looked at the remaining members, "_Take what we can and put em in the trucks, we're moving out!_"

"_Yes sir!_"

As the White Fang began to start up their vehicles and leave, the now rogue freelancer made one last look at her partner. She held her gaze for as long as she could until she decided to get into the passenger side of the warthog with the leader as the driver. As they drove off, the memory had come to an end.

"I can't believe that bitch," Yang snarled, slamming her fist into her open palm.

"How could she do that?" Ruby asked, both confused and traumatized, "To her own partner."

Blake only had a guilty expression on her face, "She wanted to follow her own path, but to do so, she violently severed all ties from her old life."

Weiss looked at her with pained curiosity, "Was it hard? When you left?"

The former White Fang crossed her arms, her hands clenched tightly, "I simply ran from an organization that lost it's way. I didn't need to shoot my partner in the back."

"That lady deserves to get her legs broken," Nora growled.

"_Rest assured that Agent Washington survived and Project Freelancer dealt with Agent Connecticut weeks later._"

Jaune questioned the A.I.F's choice of words, "By 'dealt with'...you mean-."

He silently dragged his finger across his throat.

Delta slowly nodded, confirming the knight's suspicions.

"Damn."

The memory started back up with the two teams now in what seemed to be the waiting room of a hospital. There were chairs on the opposite walls and a pair of double doors at the far end of the room. The only freelancers in the room were York, who was calmly sitting while reading a magazine on lock-picking, and Wash as he nervously paced back and forth.

"_Ya know you're just going to wear down the floor, right?_" York deadpanned, not even looking up from his articles.

"_I know….it's just….nerves._"

"_It's a simple operation, Wash._"

"_Nothing about this operation should be considered 'simple',_" Wash stated, using air quotes over the word.

"What operation?" Ruby asked.

"_Agent Washington was selected to be implanted with an A.I. fragment._"

Pyrrha looked at the green hologram with worry, "But didn't you say that the operation had negative side effects."

"_Correct._"

"What kind of side effects?" Jaune asked,

"_...It is best to simply continue watching._"

"_I mean, what if doesn't go well?_" Wash continued, "_Will I get headaches like the ones Maine has been having lately?_"

"_Those don't really last long,_" York explained, finally putting down his magazine, "_They go away pretty quick though._"

Wash finally stopped his pacing and asked his closest friend, "_So you had them when you got Delta?_"

"_Yeah….but then there were the other side effects._"

"_W-What other side effects?_" the nervous freelancer asked.

"_Ya know,_" York reminisced in a relaxed tone, "_Bleeding from the eyes, ringing ears,_" he slightly smirked, "_Inverted penis._"

"_Inverted what!?_" Wash hastily covered his codpiece.

"_Dude,_" he snickered, "_I'm just fucking with you. Couple of headaches, that's it._"

"_Ahem._"

The two freelancers jerked their heads towards the double doors and found one of the medical staff.

"_We're ready to begin the surgery now._"

He wordlessly walked back through the doors while Wash continued to stare at the swinging entrance. The butterflies in his stomach were flapping so hard that he almost felt like losing his breakfast.

"_Don't worry,_" York patted his back, "_It'll be done before you know it._"

The young freelancer gave him a thankful nod and marched towards the operating chamber. The waiting area was quickly replaced with a dim room that had a large window looking into an operating room. The medical staff were preparing the tools needed for the operation along with what appeared to be a robotic arm bolted to the ceiling with smaller surgical instruments attached to it. Teams RWBY and JNPR stood on the other side of the glass, the Counselor and Director standing beside them. They all stared at the operating table with Wash facing the floor.

"_Sir, Agent Washington is prepped for the Epsilon A.I. implant,_" one of the doctors reported over the intercom.

"_Begin the operation,_" the Director ordered.

One of doctors had their backs towards them as he removed Wash's helmet, unable to see his face. Both teams nervously waited as the surgeons guided the robotic arms to cut into the patient's neck. They weren't even five minutes into the operation and they were already feeling sick. The sounds of the drills and lasers slicing into tissue and bone made it only worse. Jaune felt like puking in the closest trash can while Pyrrha tried to maintain her composure. Ruby looked away while Weiss covered her mouth with disgust. Nora hugged Ren tightly for protection as he tried to sooth his childhood friend's discomfort. Blake looked worriedly at Yang, her partner staring through the class, but her jaw and fists were tightened. They all simply wanted this to be over with quickly.

However, they all jumped when things took a dark turn.

The medical equipment throughout the room began to spike, showing that Wash's breathing and heart rhythm had gone erratic. His body shook violently as he began to scream for no apparent reason.

"_What is going on!?_" the Director demanded.

"_I-It's the A.I. sir,_" the doctor hastily answered, "_I-I-It's gone-._"

"_Gone what?_" the Counselor asked in a voice slightly calmer than his superior.

"_It's gone….rampant._"

The Counselor quickly shut off the intercom and looked at the Director with shock, worry, and fascination, "_Sir, how can a newly created A.I. reach rampancy so soon._"

"_It shouldn't,_" he stated firmly.

"_AAAARRGGHH! HAARRGGHH!_" Wash screamed, launching himself off the table as he clutched his head in pain, "_IT HURTS! AAAGGGHHHH!_"

The young freelancer thrashed around the room, toppling anything in his path. Medical equipment and tools soared through the air and were scattered across the floor. When he reached the wall he began to repeatedly smash his head against it, a large gash beginning to form on the side of his forehead. Some of the doctors tried to approach the mentally unstable agent, but were too scared to step further.

Every nerve in Yang's body told her to get in there and do something, anything. She didn't care that this was an illusion, she couldn't just stand there and watch him go through that. Her eyes turned red as she tried to break through the glass, placing all her strength in every punch. But it was too thick to shatter. She was about to resort to her gauntlets until she felt one of her arms pull her away.

"Yang stop!" Ruby begged, her eyes tightly shut in order to keep her eyes from witnessing such a site.

"Let me go!" she yelled, "Let me go dammit!"

The enraged blonde tried to arm her other gauntlet, but that too was being held in place.

"It's too late Yang!" Blake stated with regret, she too understanding her partner's dilemma, "It's too late."

"But he's-he's-!"

"_GGRRRAAAHH!_" Wash fell to the floor, violently striking the side of his head, "_MAKE HER STOP! FOR GOD'S SAKE, SOMEBODY MAKE HER STOP!_"

"_What did he say?_" the Director's eyes widened.

"_He said 'her', but Epsilon's programming should have it identify itself as male._"

"_PLEASE!_" he begged, tears cascading down his cheeks, "_MAKE HER STOP SAYING GOODBYE!_"

It was there that the Director's personality quickly changed. His face contorted into panic when he heard the familiar word.

He slammed the intercom with all his might, "_Secure him! Get him under control!_"

As if his words gave them the final push, the medical staff blitzed the troubled agent until he was tackled to the ground. One of the doctors quickly drew a syringe and punctured Wash's exposed neck.

"_GET OFF OF ME!_" he continued to scream until his voice grew tired, "_YOU'RE NOT TAKING ME BACK! YOURE NOT-YOU're not-You're…._"

Wash's head slumped to the metal floor, the drug finally taking effect, showing the nightmare had finally come to an end.

"_Get him to recovery!_" the Director commanded.

"_Yes sir._"

The staff lifted the sedated freelancer by the arms and legs onto a medical gurney and rolled him out of the room. Nothing was spoken, not between the students or the holograms. Ironically, it gave the Director enough time to hastily regain his composure.

"_Counselor, notify me as soon as he wakes up._"

"_Of course sir,_" the Counselor made light strokes on his pad, "_What was that he said about goodbyes?_"

"_..._"

"_Director?_"

The elderly man said nothing, as he wordlessly stepped out of the room. His expression blank, only his glasses covering his haunted eyes.

The Counselor could only look at him with curiosity, "_Director?_"

The door closed itself, bringing the memory to an end.

Everyone was silent after what they had just witnessed. Yang, who finally freed herself from her partner's and sister's grips, stood in front Delta; glaring through his holographic visor with her blood red eyes, "What. The hell. Happened!?"

"_It is as you just saw,_" he calmly answered like before, "_The Epsilon A.I. had gone rampant within Washington's mind, causing him to endure the effects._"

"What does that mean?" Jaune asked, "When an A.I. goes rampant?"

"_Rampancy is the terminal state an Artificial Intelligence undergoes after being in service for more than seven years. The basic definition is that the A.I. begins to develop a sense of awareness and begins to 'think' about it's existence._"

"How is that a bad thing?" Ruby shrugged.

"_Picture yourself in front of a chalkboard. On it is a math equation that no one has been able to solve. You take a gander at it and run through the calculations. It is all you can think about as you grow to ignore everything around you. Minutes turn into hours, hours turn into days, weeks become months. Your brain is obsessed with solving the equation; to the point until you forget to eat, sleep, or even breath._"

"In other words, you 'think' yourself to death," Weiss bitterly added.

"_Preciseley,_" Delta answered, "_However Epsilon's rampancy occurred only hours after it was created. A unique phenomenon that has left a mark in the project's history._"

"Okay," Yang sighed, her nerves finally at peace, "So Wash was given an A.I. that went crazy _inside_ his head. What happened next?"

"_The Director realized the dangers of the A.I. implants and ordered that all programs to be removed and deleted. Many of the agents were upset by this, as they were giving up on an asset that greatly assisted them on the battlefield and who some even considered a friend._"

"And Wash was the reason for it all," Pyrrha sadly lowering her head.

"_Those times, were the darkest in Agent Washington's life._"

"_I don't understand!_"

The two teams turned towards the voice and found themselves in the hangar of the Mother of Invention. The soldiers of A-Squad were loading up into the pelican, all except Washington who was arguing with his CO.

"_It's exactly as I said,_" Carolina repeated, "_You're not going on this mission._"

"_But the doctors cleared me!_"

"_Not by me!_" she shouted, "_You're still unstable after what happened a few weeks ago._"

"_But I can still fight,_" he shouted, "_I can be useful!_"

"_You're a liability. Some of the soldiers notice you still mumble to yourself, not to mention your sanity is still in question. Our chances of success on this mission….on _any _mission….drops every time one of us gets their A.I. removed._"

"_Gee, I wonder whose fault would that be,_" South sarcastically blurted out.

Yang couldn't help but growl at the orchid freelancer.

North, thankfully, glared at his twin sister, "_South, shut it._"

"_I can't be responsible for you while under a hail of bullets,_" Carolina continued, "_That's why I'm keeping you off future missions until I see fit._"

"_Boss….please,_" the gray freelancer begged, a feeling of betrayal flowing through his body when the woman he viewed as an older sibling had lost faith in him.

"_That is an order soldier! And I expect you follow it!_"

Wash looked towards the ground, his hands balled into fists, trying to keep himself from bursting right in front of his teammates. The veteran freelancers looked at the young agent with a mix of anger, scorn, and even pity. The students, however, couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

After giving a slow salute, Wash finally spoke, "_Yes….ma'm._"

A-Squad's leader nodded and silently boarded the dropship. York was the last one to join them, but not until he gave Wash a reassuring pat on the back.

"_Don't take it so hard,_" he reassured the young soldier, "_It's just a simple recon mission. You're not gonna miss anything._"

Wash simply kept his head lowered.

York made one last glance at his team in front of them so that their teammates wouldn't hear.

"_Listen, we need to talk," _he whispered, "_I'll message you when I get back, okay?_"

"_...Whatever._"

"_York!_" Carolina shouted, "_You've got five seconds or we're leaving your tan ass behind!_"

"_Yeah yeah I'm comin'._"

As the pelican lifted off the ground, everything once again fell apart.

"So even his own team turned against him?" Ruby asked.

"_Not everyone, you could say they were….on edge._"

"I'm starting to see why Wash isn't a big fan of teamwork," Yang crossed her arms, disgusted at the freelancers' treatment towards Wash, "It wasn't even his fault, it was that damn A.I.!"

The holographic simulator recreated an environment that the students didn't expect to find. They stood in an old fashioned diner, the kind that had a layout similar to a railway car. There was a bar that almost traveled the entire length of the room with red stools tracing the outer side. Tables were placed next to the windows, providing the patrons the perfect view of the city nightlife. Despite the bustling noise outside, there were very little customers within the diner. Only two were inside, one was a man with a large curly mustache, who was at the cash register counting over how much money he had made that day. The other customer was sitting on the left corner of the bar, providing him with a view of the entire diner. He wore dark jeans, gray sneakers, and a dark grey hoodie that covered an all too-familiar baseball cap that covered his eyes.

Wash sipped his coffee as he repeatedly checked his watch, an annoyed expression across his face. His wait finally ended when the diner's entrance bell rang. At the door stood York, wearing a tan leather jacket over a white shirt, a lighter pair of jeans, and a pair of boots. The scarred freelancer immediately spotted his "date" and approached the bar.

"_You made it,_" he greeted with a smile.

Wash only scowled back, "_And you're late._"

"_What can you do?_" York shrugged, "_That's New York City traffic for you._"

The tan freelancer sat on the red stool perpendicular to Wash.

"_Ya know I always came here whenever I had free time, best pies in the city. You like pie Wash?_"

"_No._"

"_Really? Well you're missing out. Hey Geoff!_" York shouted towards the cashier, "_The usual please._"

"_Comin' right up,_" the man identified as "Geoff" happily answered.

He later approached the two soldiers, a slice of pie in one hand and a mug in the other.

"_One pumpkin pie and a coffee with creme._"

"_Thanks man,_" the scarred freelancer drew out a couple of bills, "_You mind closing early tonight?_"

Geoff looked back and forth between the two soldiers, "_This….uh,_" he stroked his mustache, "_This one of those kind of talks you don't want people to know about?_"

"_Who do you think I am?_" York playfully laughed, "_One of those shady agents from intelligence? Nah, my friend and I have some catching up to do and we're probably gonna be here all night. I just don't want you to deal with us the entire time._"

The cashier looked back at Wash who was blankly staring at his coffee.

"_Your 'friend' doesn't look very chatty,_" he replied.

"_It's been a rough week,_" York shrugged again, "_What'd you expect from having a career in the military._"

"_Heh, don't I know it,_" Geoff snickered, "_...Well, I suppose I'll close up for the night. I hear there's going to be an intense game of Grifball tonight and I don't wanna miss that,_" he happily took the money from York and whispered, "_Use the back when you leave._"

With that, Geoff put on his trench coat and left the two freelancers to themselves. For a few moments; silence, minus the clanking from York's fork against his plate, was the only thing that occupied the diner. Teams RWBY and JNPR were almost sweating with anticipation for who would speak up first.

"_You sure you don't want some?_" York finally spoke up, his mouth now full of the brown pastry, "_It's good._"

"_Why did you call me here?_" Wash glared under the bill of his ballcap.

The tan freelancer silently chewed his food until he eventually swallowed.

"_D?_"

"_Yes, Agent York?_" the memory of the green hologram appeared on the counter.

"_We good?_"

"_I disabled a total of 5 security cameras on your way here. They came back online 5 seconds after you left their visual range. Also, I do not detect any hidden microphones and cameras. Furthermore, all frequencies-._"

"_Delta?_" York narrowed his eyes.

"_I mean….Yes, we are good._"

"_Thanks D, go offline for awhile okay?_"

"_Complying._"

Wash looked at York with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion….but mostly suspicion.

"_So now can you tell me why I'm here?_"

"_Sure,_" he reached into his jacket's chest pocket and took out a rectangular black box, "_Just wanted to give you this._"

"_What is it?_" Wash took the object and examined it, "_Some sort of data drive._"

"_Open it,_" York patiently answered back.

The young agent made one last glance at York and the box, but eventually chose to expose himself to what was inside. With the all the secrecy, Wash expected to find something of great value. Perhaps information on a massive conspiracy. An ancient artifact that could change life as they knew it. Hell, he'd probably believe that it was some kind of alien technology. What he didn't expect were-.

"_Sunglasses?_"

"_Not just any sunglasses,_" York smiled victoriously, "_What you're holding is a pair of upgraded oakleys able to link with your suit's system, it's got a built in BioCom, and it comes with night vision. Courtesy of your local security specialist….that and Delta helped a little bit._"

Wash simply stared at the M-framed lenses, a neutral expression on his face which only made the scarred agent slightly disappointed.

"_Ya know if you don't like it-._"

"_What!? No, no I do,_" the young freelancer let out a brief, yet rare smile, "_It's probably the only good thing that's happened to me these past few weeks._"

York's usual laid-back, but friendly aura transitioned towards to a more serious nature. The man fully understood that Wash was practically a social outcast throughout the agency. He was shunned by the freelancers who lost the chance to have their own A.I., insults were being whispered behind his back, even most of his own team practically abandoned him to the wolves.

"_I know things have been….tough lately,_" York sighed. staring at his coffee, "_Especially around the other freelancers, but things will get better._"

"_Forgive me if I don't believe you,_" Wash deadpanned.

"_Look, don't let what happened in the hangar get to you. Everyone's just been on edge lately, Carolina especially, since she's our team leader and all._"

"_That and her rivalry with Texas._"

"_Right, that too._"

"_All because of me._"

"_Hey!_" York shouted, "_That wasn't your fault. If anyone's to blame it's the Director. He was the one who created that faulty program and let it inside your head._"

The young freelancer didn't answer back, urging the man to patiently wait for what comes next.

"_York, can I ask you something?_"

"_Sure, what's up?_"

Wash held up the sunglasses, "_Why did you give me these?_"

York simply looked at him with sudden awe, "_You mean you don't know?_"

"_Know what?_"

The man suddenly laughed that resonated throughout the diner. Wash could only tilt his head at the sudden action.

"_I don't see what's so funny?_"

"_Because…._" York wiped away a tear from his laughter, "_Those sunglasses are your birthday present._"

Everyone's eyes widened when they heard those words escape his mouth.

"Uhhh….What?" Ruby gaped.

"When the hell did this happen!?" Yang demanded, feeling highly tempted to shake Delta for the information.

"_This memory occurred at an estimated 5 weeks after the Epsilon incident._"

"No I mean specifically! You know: day of the week, time, the fucking date!"

"_...Error: Unable to specify._"

Yang's eye began to twitch, "What?"

"_Error: Unable to specify._"

"What do you mean you can't specify?"

"_The memory is resuming._"

"Son of a-!"

The blonde brawler was quickly shushed by everyone in the room.

"_I can't believe I forgot,_" Wash realized, staring at his gift with new found appreciation.

"_How can you forget your own birthday?_" York snickered, "_Speaking of which, how old are you now?_"

"_Nineteen._"

"_Really? Well,_" York raised his coffee mug, "_Happy 19th Birthday Wash!_"

The birthday boy wordlessly mimicked the action and the two clinked their cups together before taking a sip.

After putting on his gift, Wash let out a small smile, "_...Hey York,_".

"_Yeah?_"

"_Thanks._"

The scarred agent smiled back and they returned to eating in silence. The reconstruction process had come and gone, forming the Mother of Invention's locker room. Like many times before, the place was quiet. Agent Washington was the only one inside, placing on bits and parts of his armor; his helmet being the final piece. His locker door shielded him, the students once again unable to see his face. The gray freelancer had just sealed his helmet when the twins came walking in.

"_It's total bullshit!_" South growled, still angry as ever, "_Why is she the only that gets to go after her!?_"

"_Because she's the most qualified and level headed,_" North deadpanned, "_Besides, do _you _think you can last at least two minutes against her?_"

"_Hmph,_" South grunted, "_Give me a missile pod and she'll be nothing but dust._"

"_What are you guys talking about?_" Wash asked, wanting to be part of the conversation.

"_None of your business,_" South glared under her visor as she stomped towards her locker.

"_Ignore her,_" North waved off his sister's attitude, "_She's just mad that she wasn't picked to hunt down Texas instead of Carolina._"

Wash's eyes widened, "_Hunt her down?_"

"_She went rogue,_" South answered, not looking back at the agents, "_Broke into the storage facility and stole her precious A.I., took the others too?_"

"_Others?_"

"_She took Eta and Iota, and apparently that wasn't enough, she then went after Wyoming and took Gamma and his equipment. Poor bastard was a bloody mess when they found him._"

"_That hasn't been proven yet,_" North pointed out, "_It doesn't sound like her._"

"_How would you know?_" South questioned.

"_Just trust me, I know. If Texas had really done it, she would have made sure that there was no _body _to find._"

"_She's not some fucking monster North._"

"_But still,_" Wash rubbed the back of his helmet, "_Out of all of us she was one of the most loyal to the project. What changed?_"

"_No one knows,_" the violet freelancer shrugged, "_Once they find Texas and bring her back, we can ask her then._"

Just as he had finished the sentence, the alarm began to blare throughout the halls of the ship.

"_INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!,_" F.I.L.L.I.S. announced to the crew, "_Breach in security: Level 0._"

"_Or we can ask her now._"

"_All right!_" South sadistically cheered, pulling her magnum out of her locker, "_That bitch is mine!_"

"_South wait!_" North tried to stop his sister but had already left the locker room.

The older of the twins quickly followed leaving Wash by himself as he pulled out his battle rifle. The young freelancer patrolled the hallways of the hover carrier, the entire complex in a panic. He sprinted to the closest console and brought up the ship's schematics.

"_F.I.L.L.I.S., do you have a location on the intruders?_"

"_I detect hull damage in the cargo area of the ship and an intrusion within the power core,_" the ship A.I. answered, "_Activating firewalls now._"

With a newfound purpose, Agent Washington stormed towards the Mother of Invention's power core. As he neared his destination he found multiple soldiers either dead or groaning in pain. One thing they all had in common, they all suffered from buckshot wounds. The doors automatically slid open when he finally arrived and immediately scanned the room, his weapon at the ready. There was no one else but a single soldier. A freelancer in a familiar set of tan armor.

"_Y-York?_"

The agent in question jerked his head, his shotgun raised urging Wash to do the same. Both agents eyes widened in shock and horror when they realized they were aiming towards a former teammate….a former friend.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Awkward~" Nora mumbled rather loudly.

"_York,_" Wash asked cautiously, "_What are you doing?_"

"_Wash, I swear this isn't what you-._"

_BAM!_

The gray freelancer fell forward after receiving a blow to the back of the head, the attacker deactivating her cloak.

"_Think,_" York finished, looking at the young agent's unconscious body and sighed, "_So what now?_"

"_Now,_" Texas stepped around Wash, "_Now we get to work._"

After the incident in the power core the three freelancers and students found themselves in the operating room. Wash was laying on the table while the two teams were now on the other side of the glass. York and Texas were having a….heated argument.

"_Are you crazy!?_" York yelled.

"_We need a plan B in case if this all goes south,_" the black freelancer answered back, "_Right now it's our best option._"

"_Do you know what happened the last time they put that thing inside him!? How are you so sure that it's not going to go crazy again!?_"

"_Because I…,_" Texas hesitantly looked away, "_Look, it doesn't matter; what matters is bringing down the Director._"

York worriedly looked at the unconscious freelancer, "_But why give it to him?_"

"_He's the last person they'll suspect to have it. We just need to convince him._"

"_Uuuugggh,_" Wash groaned weakly trying to sit up.

"_He's awake,_" York rushed to his side, "_How are you feeling?_"

The young agent looked around the medical room until his eyes laid on the tan freelancer. And then suckerpunched him.

"_OW!_"

"_You son of a bitch!_" Wash roared, preparing to throw another punch.

The gray freelancer didn't get the chance when his back was slammed against the metal wall. All it took was the forearm of the now rogue freelancer to keep him restrained.

"_Tex, wait!_" York shouted, "_If we're going to convince him, this isn't helping._"

The black freelancer looked back and later released the young agent.

"_Go ahead,_" she sighed, "_I've gotta go._"

The rogue freelancer now known as Tex wordlessly left the room, leaving the two freelancers to themselves.

"_You okay?_" York asked, trying to help Wash stand up.

"_Don't touch me,_" he growled back as he swatted away York's arm.

"_Look, just let me explain._"

"_Explain what!? That you're aiding a rogue agent, committing treason, how about almost dropping us out of the sky!?_"

"_Wash, it's not what you think. None of it is!_"

The gray freelancer could only give his former friend a skeptical look.

"_Everything we thought about the project was wrong,_" York explained, "_The suits, the upgrades, especially the A.I.s, aren't you the least bit curious where they come from?_"

"_They're provided by Gulch's military-._"

"_That's what he wants you to think,_" York pointed.

"_He?_"

"_The Director,_" the tan freelancer grimly answered, "_You have no idea how many laws the guy has broken and the authorities are just catching wind of it. Sooner or later we're all going to be marked as traitors._"

"_York, what the hell are you talking about?_"

"_You know what exactly what I'm talking about,_" the scarred agent stared.

Wash's eyes soon widened as he nervously stepped back when he realized what he was talking about, "_How did you-?_"

"_Tex told me,_" York shook his head with skepticism, "_She knows things Wash, I don't know how but she was the one who put it all together. That's why she's doing all this, she's trying to put a stop it; and like she said, if things go bad we're going to need a backup plan,_" he then briefly looked away with guilt, "_That's why she re-implanted Epsilon into you._"

The young agent's skin paled when he heard that name, the name of the A.I. that ruined his life. The Artificial Intelligence that shattered his mind.

"_Do you….have any idea what that thing did to me!?_" Wash tightly grabbed the collar of York's armor, "_I still get nightmares from what I saw! From what _he _did to it!_"

The tan freelancer calmly removed his hands, "_Which is why we need your help. We need you to keep him safe, in order to bring down the Director._"

"_But why me?_"

"_Because he was meant for you,_" York lightly tapped the side of his head, "_What you have in there….is the key to put an end to this. All of it._"

"_But Yo-!_"

"_Hey York!_" Tex shouted over the radio.

The tan freelancer brought two fingers to the side of his helmet, "Yeah?"

"_BOOM...I'm in a bit of trouble! BLAM...Could really use a distraction right about now!_"

"_Read you loud-and-clear,_" York nodded, "_Stay right where you are._"

"_Make sure it's a big one!_"

York then put a reassuring hand on Wash's shoulder, "_Stay here okay? I'll be back later._"

"_Wait-!_"

The gray freelancer couldn't finish his sentence as the rogue Agent York had quickly left the room. Wash tried to follow him but the door refused to open. After pressing in the code multiple times and receiving no result, the young agent tried a more direct approach.

"_Come on!_" he banged his hands against the door, "_Somebody! Anybody!_"

Desperately trying to get out, Agent Washington tried a running start in order to knock down the door. However, the metal entrance opened at the last second, causing him to comedically stumble into the hallway. After readjusting his helmet, the slightly dazed freelancer questioningly looked at the now open door. He looked around the hallway, knowing fully-well who was responsible, but unsure if they could hear him.

"_Don't think this changes anything,_" he distastefully stated before running towards the sounds of battle.

Teams RWBY and JNPR quickly followed when their environment violently shook around them.

"What was that?" Ruby asked very worried.

"_Virtually-speaking,_" Delta replied, "_Power to the Mother of Invention's engines has been severed and is now rapidly descending towards the surface._"

"Wait, so we're crashing!?" Jaune panicked.

"_Not actually crashing as this has already happened._"

"We're still going to crash!"

"Get a hold of yourself!" Weiss shook the blonde knight, "None of this is real so we'll be fine."

The group gave a unanimous, but hesitant, nod and resumed following their armored ally. After running through multiple metal corridors, they had arrived at what seemed to be the bridge. Inside, former-Agent Texas and Carolina were duking it out. A flurry of kicks and punches were exchanged between Project Freelancer's greatest fighters. Carolina attempted to deliver a jump kick, only to be tackled by the black freelancer towards the lower level. Agent Washington was about to assist until a massive hand stopped him.

"_Maine?_" the gray freelancer looked back at the hulking agent, "_What are you doing here?_"

The armored giant said nothing as he blankly stared through his visor.

"_Are you….Are you okay?_"

"_Never better Agent Washington,_" Sigma appeared in front of Maine's helmet, "_Actually, there is one last thing we need._"

The young agent could clearly see that something was wrong. But before he could even take a step back, he was violently lifted by the neck.

The fiery A.I.F. sadistically smirked, "_Your A.I._"

Maine then threw Wash towards the ships controls, temporarily enveloping his armor in static and knocking him unconscious. The massive freelancer hissed, cracking his knuckles as he approached his prey.

"We've gotta do something!" Ruby stated in hysteria.

"He's a hologram!" Weiss explained, "And built like tank, the only thing that could possible stop him would be a-."

"Mountain," Ren answered.

Everyone looked at the green gunslinger for his sudden statement.

"Great idea Renny," Nora cheered.

"No," the gunslinger pointed a shaking finger at the large windows on the bridge, "I mean MOUNTAIN!"

Everyone craned their necks until their eyes widened and their faces paled with horror. Like their friend said; a colossal, snow covered mountain stood in front of the hover-carrier, growing larger with every second. The students immediately braced themselves expecting to be crushed by the rocky elevation….but felt nothing.

"Are we dead?" Jaune squeaked, his eyes shut tight with his body curled into a ball.

Everyone was hesitant to open their eyes until Nora, surprisingly, chose to be the first to embrace the destruction.

All she could say was, "Woah."

The students eventually followed suit and found the once organized bridge now in ruins. Cables were dangling from the ceiling like vines. Sparks jumped out of multiple control panels that varied from damaged to unusable. Even the hefty windows that provided them the sight of the snowy mountain, were shattered, allowing the small storm blow into the room of metal.

Weiss was the first to break out of a her stupor, "H-How-!? W-W-Wha-!?"

"How did we get here?" Blake finished.

"_That was my doing,_" Delta formed in front of the group, "_I simply skipped the segment where the ship bounced off the side of the mountain and crashed into a nearby cliffside._"

"Thank….you?" Yang hesitantly replied.

"_You are welcome,_" the green hologram nodded.

"What happened to the freelancers?" Pyrrha asked.

"_They were all launched out of the bridge upon the ship's impact._"

"OVER THERE!" Yang pointed towards the snow covered cliff.

Four bodies lay scattered throughout. Carolina was closest to the wreckage, but was still unconscious. Texas briefly struggled as she tried to stand back on her feet. Maine marched towards his target ready to kill. And Washington….he was wide-awake, trapped between a quick end or a slow agonizing one. Unsure which result the fall will bring.

"_Maine,_" Wash begged, his voice louder than a whisper, "_Don't do this._"

Sigma formed in front of the armored soldier with Eta and Iota on his left along with Gamma and Omega on the right.

"_Maine is no more,_" he spread his arms, motioning towards his brothers and sisters, "_We are the Meta, seeking to become whole once again. Even if you run we will find you,_" he extended his holographic hand out with Maine mimicking the action, "_Give us our brother Epsilon and it won't have to come to that._"

Wash fully knew that Sigma was lying. _He_ was the one behind Wyoming's murder and the breakin at the storage facility. As well as being the one who was controlling Maine. As much as he wanted to get rid of the program that ruined his life, he wasn't going to give it to someone who simply wanted more power.

"_Fuck. You._" Wash bravely stated.

Sigma stared at freelancer, neither shocked nor offended. His virtual lips only curled into an overconfident smirk.

"_All right then,_" the fiery A.I. sighed, "_We'll just do it the hard way. Omega?_"

"_Hehehe, about time,_" the black hologram laughed before disappearing into Maine's helmet.

The white armored freelancer unslung his magnum and prepared to aim it. Wash could only prepare for the worst, waiting for Maine to pull the trigger.

"_LIKE HELL YOU ARE!_" a voice shouted.

Before Maine could turn his head, a black armored arm wrapped his neck. Tex had jumped on his back, temporarily distracting the Meta. The A.I. controlled freelancer thrashed around, trying to throw off the rogue agent, but Tex's grip was like iron. Yet, in the confusion, the gun went off and into the icy cliff. Everyone became silent and looked towards the hole in the ice between Maine and Wash. At first the cracks around it were small, but then they grew larger. And larger and larger and larger until the cliff began to shake. It didn't take a genius for the freelancers to step away, or at least try to. Tex and Maine had already made it to the safety of stable ground, but Washington faced a dire situation. Any steps he tried to take forward were put off balance by the cliff's tremors. With every passing second, the ice began to crumble and crack until it was at the end of it's rope.

"_Wash come on!_" Tex waved over.

"_I-I can't-!_"

_CRACK!_

Like any rope, it snapped, the cliff shattered as chunks fell to the earth below. Bringing a frightened Agent Washington down with it. All the young agent could do was stare in horror at what was happening through his visor. The last things he saw, was Maine looking down at him disappointed….and Tex, reaching out her hand in a futile attempt of rescue.

"_NOOOOO!_"

The black freelancer's defeated wail was the only thing that echoed throughout the ice caps.

Teams RWBY and JNPR were conflicted to not be able to help their teammate. Their legs told them to move, but their minds ordered them to stay. What was happening in front of them had already occurred. They could do nothing but watch from the wreckage until the memory was brought to an end. Now they were back in their reality, within the confines of the amphitheater, all silent after witnessing so much tragedy and pain in a matter of hours.

"_Now you know what happened to Agent Washington during his time as a freelancer,_" Delta stated, "_As your headmaster told you before, some of these things are difficult to witness._"

The others couldn't help but agree with him, each having their own opinions, but too mentally exhausted to speak.

"There's still one last thing," Yang spoke up, the only one who wanted to continue, "How did Wash go from a freelancer to a huntsmen-in-training?"

The green hologram looked at the blonde huntress and asked, "_Are you sure?_"

Both teams were hesitant to agree, but their friend was right. There was still one more memory that connected everything. What's one more going to do them?

After seeing the group united agreement, a simple wave of Delta's hand re-activated the simulator. The room virtually transformed itself until it took the form of what seemed to be a hospital room. The walls were white, but the tile floor was an ugly shade of green. A large window on the right side of the medical bed was the only one that let in sunlight. Agent Washington was adjusting the armor on his forearm until he heard the door on the far-side open. In came the familiar sight of a certain huntsmen, dressed in his usual green suit with a cane in hand, a cup of coffee, and a newspaper under his arm.

"_You're up,_" Ozpin announced.

The freelancer said nothing but suspiciously stare at the man before him.

"_There's no need to be hostile,_" the man smiled as a sign of peace, "_After all, we _are _the the ones who found you nearly dead and brought you back to health._"

"_And why would you do that?_"

"_Perhaps it was done out of the good of my heart,_" Ozpin shrugged, but then pulled out the newspaper, "_Then again, perhaps I did it so I can ask you some questions._"

Wash hesitantly looked at the periodical but then took it in order to understand his situation. Under his visor, the gray freelancer's eyes widened with dread as he read the front page's headline. "PROJECT FREELANCER BLACKLISTED: Director accused of multiple protocol violations and illegal experimentation."

Wash's armored gloves crumpled the sides of the paper, "_What. Is this?_"

"_As it says, Project Freelancer has been dubbed a criminal organization and anyone associated with it are considered outlaws and must be brought in,_" Ozpin answered and pointed his cane, "_That includes you._"

The former freelancer quickly got into a defensive stance, expecting to be hauled off to prison like a criminal.

"_Now you know your situation,_" Ozpin lowered his cane and sat in a nearby chair, "_We can start your….interrogation._"

"_Who are you? You don't look like standard military._"

"_I believe I'm the one who's supposed to ask the questions,_" the man chuckled, taking a quick sip from his mug, "_But in good spirit I'll tell you who I am. I'm Professor Ozpin, huntsman and headmaster of Beacon Academy, a school created to train Remnant's future protectors,_"

"_A huntsman,_" Wash whispered, surprised he was talking with an outsider.

Ozpin then casually leaned back into the chair, "_And you are?_"

"_Agent Washington,_" the gray agent answered, standing at attention out of reflex, "I _am….I _was _an agent of Project Freelancer._"

The huntsman raised an eyebrow at his title, "'_Was'? I assume you are no longer affiliated with them._"

"_To be honest I didn't have much choice._"

"_I see. And why should I not turn you into the proper authorities, even if you are now a rogue agent?_"

Wash looked away with a troubled look under his helmet. If he couldn't provide something of value then he was useless and could be carted off to a military prison for the rest of his life. But then he remembered something, a parting gift from an old friend.

"_I want to cut a deal,_" he replied.

"_I see,_" Ozpin nodded, "_When we reach the closest military base I'll-._"

"_No, I want to cut a deal with you,_" Wash pointed at the huntsman.

"_Me?_" the man narrowed his eyes, "_Tell me, why not do this with the officials in your own government?_"

"_Because there's no one I can trust. The Director has his contacts, both government and civilian. If they aren't under investigation, they're most likely to help him stay hidden. Even if I were to make a deal, there are powerful people who wouldn't hesitate to use me as a stepping stone and throw me in prison anyway._"

Ozpin took another sip of his coffee, "_If I were to accept this, what exactly would you be offering._"

"_Information on freelancer safe houses and storage facilities. I can give you the location on the ones I know throughout the kingdoms. If they haven't already cleaned house, you'll find new technologies and weapons for your use. But in the case you or the kingdoms are able to apprehend the Director and his associates, I'll gladly provide evidence and a full testimony._"

Ozpin fell silent, surprised that such a young man would come up with such a thorough plan. He stood up from his chair and placed his mug on the nightstand.

"_And what do you wish in return?_"

"_Asylum in your kingdom, I don't care where. I just want to leave this place,_" Wash answered grimly.

The huntsman raised his brow, but then asked, "_How old are you?_"

"_I just turned 19 this year._"

"_Hmmm,_" Ozpin rubbed his chin.

His mused at the soldier's attitude. He wasn't some regular teenager, he was both a soldier and a survivor, a rare combination. Definitely an interesting asset to have.

"_Very well then, but how about I add something to the mix. I have contacts of my own and I'll convince them to grant you asylum in Vale. But-._"

"_But?_"

"_I want you to enroll into my school and train to become a huntsman._"

Wash's eyes widened at the proposition, "_W-Wha?_"

"_It's like you said, Project Freelancer has it's connections, most likely some in the other kingdoms. Though you are older than the usual first-year, having you as a student will allow me to keep you close by,_" he briefly smirked at the young man, "_And something tells me you're going to need a new line of work._"

Wash frowned at Ozpin's joke but eventually accepted, "_Fine. I'll enroll in your school, hone your techniques, I'll even undergo that sick ritual of drinking a Grimm's blood._"

Ozpin's eyes widened at the young man's statement, surprised at how serious he was. And then he laughed.

Everyone in the room was baffled. Neither of the students had ever seen their headmaster laugh. There was that sly smirk and even a rare chuckle, but never a laugh.

"_Ha ha ha ha,_" Ozpin chuckled, wiping away a small tear of joy, "_I see. I'm glad to have you as a student at Beacon _Mister _Washington. However, there is one problem._"

"_What's that?_"

The veteran huntsman leaned forward, another smirk on his face, "_We don't drink Grimm's blood._"

Wash could feel his face heat up when he realized the mistake he made. That's what he got for believing the rumors and stories about huntsmen.

"_O-Oh,_" the ex-freelancer nervously cleared his throat, "_Ahem. In that case, do we have a deal?_"

"_Why of course Mr. Washington,_" Ozpin stuck out his hand, "_We have a deal, I'll even pretend we're meeting for the first time when we arrive on campus._"

Wash looked at the hand, but eventually took into his own and they shook on it.

"_Well then, there is much to do in preparation for your arrival,_" the headmaster approached the door, "_We'll need to procure new documents, form a backstory for you, we'll also have to see if there are any openings on any of the teams-._"

"_No teams,_" the gray ex-freelancer cut him off.

Ozpin stopped in his tracks and looked back at the young man, "_Excuse me?_"

"_You heard me,_" he crossed his arms, "_No partners, no teammates, I work entirely alone._"

The headmaster's eyes narrowed, "_Mr. Washington, the curriculum at my school will sometimes require teamwork. Surely you can't handle the burden by your-._"

"_I can handle the workload, and if the situation calls for it, I'll work with your students. But that's it,_" Wash then glared through his helmet, "_I work alone or the deal's off._"

The two stared each other, seeing who would falter first, but in the end Ozpin relented. He wouldn't want to compromise the situation.

"_Very well then,_" he sighed, "_I will have to fly to Beacon and make the preparations. I'll also have a dropship take you to any friends or family you wish to say final goodbyes._"

"_Thanks but no,_" Wash replied, "_I just need to gather some things before I leave this place._"

"_Really? There's isn't anyone you want to at least let them know you're alright?_"

The ex-freelancer lowered his head in thought and then looked out through the window, "_...No. There's nothing for me here._"

With that, all of Washington's memories had come to end. The students were back in the amphitheatre, taking in the final piece of the puzzle. They were all mentally exhausted and decided they had seen enough.

"_My scans show that each your state of health has dropped slightly since coming here,_" Delta announced to the group, "_I recommend ending things here and gathering some rest…...I believe…..that is the best option at this point._"

Neither of them said anything as they all agreed to finally get some sleep. One by one they left the vast room. Yang was the last leave, watching Delta digitally disappear along with the holographic grid. As she followed her teammates back to their dorm, she reviewed everything she had just witnessed. She had seen most of a person's life in the span of a few hours. Seeing how much Wash had to endure, it made her question whether she still had the right to call him her friend. Or vice versa.

* * *

**A/N: **

**I've obviously made some changes to the Freelancer timeline since you barely see Wash on the original show. Tell me what you think in a review down below.**

**Right now I'm testing out some new story ideas, mind you they're still in the "prototype" phase so don't expect a new story soon. Rest assured I'm still working on this story, I'm just getting some ideas out of my head before my brain goes all _meta_.**

**Get it? Meta?**

**...**

**...**

**Epsilon: Boo-!**

**Shut up!**

**GaryOkampo logging off...**

**[CONNECTION TERMINATED]**


	18. Recollection

To track a prey requires a great amount of concentration, skill, and most importantly, patience. Those were key in Tex's hunt for both Maine….and the Director. Sadly, the trail ran cold when she reached the outskirts of what seemed to be an abandoned village beyond the city's limits. Her engine hummed steadily as she stopped near the center of town, scanning every building with her visor. So far nothing. The black freelancer hopped off her military motorcycle and approached the ruined fountain at the center. Tex couldn't help but notice the craftsmanship put into it. It wasn't anything special, but it was clear that it was crafted as a symbol of hope for the villagers. At the top was a pioneer holding up a dust crystal, though with time he was already being covered with mold and was missing an arm. Even the spring was sealed off, no water or filter working to clean out the muck building up at the bottom. Somehow, even with it's dirty and murky water, she could still see her reflection from the moon's light.

As Tex looked at her armored form, she began to contemplate about how far she was in her investigation. It was unbelievable at how someone as massive as Maine could disappear into thin air. Then again, he had more than enough A.I.'s, even if they are fragments, masking his armor and them working together made him nearly unstoppable. Maybe she'll have better luck the next time he decides to poke his shiny dome out of whatever hole he was hiding in. She'll just have to resume her search for the Director and leave Maine for another time. As soon as she turned around-.

_BAM!_

A punch seemingly out of nowhere sent her flying into the fountain. The ruined, but historic statue, was now nothing but rubble. Tex immediately dusted herself off, fully knowing who delivered the first strike.

"That was cheap shot," the rogue agent readjusted her helmet, "Never thought you had it in you Carolina."

"Like they always say," the cyan freelancer cracked her knuckles, "'All's fair when you're at war.'"

* * *

_The sounds of gunfire from that day had finally died down. Their raid on another White Fang stronghold was successful, and they were able to capture a few prisoners also. York, South, and Wash were watching over the captured terrorists being escorted onto the prison pelican while the others went on patrol._

"_Move along," Wash calmly motioned the line of prisoners._

_Most of the White Fang obeyed, but still held looks of scorn towards their captors. Though some were more vocal than others._

"_You can't make me!" a male fox faunus protested, "I don't have to listen to fascists like you."_

"_Didn't you hear him!" South whacked him with the butt of her rifle, "He said move!"_

_The White Fang soldier fell onto his knees, but was struck again in the face, causing him to fall onto the ground._

"_South wait!" Wash intervened, "You don't have to hurt him."_

"_These animals aren't going to listen to you if you act like a pussy," the orchid freelancer glared, preparing to strike again, "You gotta break them in order to make them listen."_

_The situation grew tense as the other prisoners began to protest against South's racism. York tried to keep them at bay with his shotgun while Wash attempted to stop South._

"_He's already learned his lesson," the young freelancer stood between her and the prisoner, "There's no need to-."_

"_Move, or I'll make you eat dirt just like him," South threatened._

"_No," Wash glared defiantly, "Protocol dictates that we-."_

"_Oh for fuck's-!"_

_BANG!_

_Everyone turned towards the gunshot and saw Agent Carolina, her pistol aimed towards the sky with it's barrel smoking._

"_What is going on here!?" she demanded as she marched onto the scene causing everyone to fall silent, "I'm gone for 5 minutes and you're starting a prison riot!"_

"_One of the White Fang was acting rebellious," South reported, "I just reminded him to keep moving."_

_The cyan freelancer examined the prisoner, noticing the massive bruise on the side of his face and his bleeding nose._

"_Right," Carolina deadpanned, not taking her answer, "And by 'reminded him' you mean striking him with the butt of your rifle?"_

"_W-Well...I mean," the orchid freelancer briefly stuttered under her CO's gaze, "How else was I supposed to get my point across. Come on, 'all's fair in war' right?"_

_A-Squad's leader glanced at the injured terrorist who was being attended to by Washington._

"_Go check the perimeter with the others," Carolina ordered._

"_But I thought you said-?"_

_The freelancer was quickly interrupted when her squad leader stomped forward, glaring daggers through her helmet._

"_That's an order South."_

_The orchid freelancer reluctantly agreed and left the area to regroup with the other freelancers to cool off. Carolina let out a controlled sigh to hide her frustration, things never seem to go smoothly._

_She looked at the wounded White Fang grunt for an update, "How is he?"_

"_He's got a gash on the head and his nose seems fine, but I'm not sure," Wash reported, and then glanced at the terrorist, "We'll get you a medic as soon as possible."_

_The White Fang soldier simply grunted, trying to ignore the gray agent's kindness. York eventually arrived and helped the prisoner back up to rejoin the others._

"_You handled that well," Carolina complemented, crossing her arms with interest, "Most recruits would turn a blind eye when South gets pissed off."_

"_She was breaking protocol," Wash simply replied, "...And I…I remember what you said to me that time."_

_The cyan freelancer looked at the young agent with inner pride. She remembered his first few weeks in combat and could obviously tell he had trouble adjusting. Despite being a military prodigy, he was still a kid. Just like most children, they could be easily influenced by the wrong crowd. She of course had a long talk with him, lecturing and teaching the young agent that that kind of hatred wouldn't solve anything. The freelancer veteran didn't say to make nice with the White Fang, they were still criminals. She just didn't let it out on civilians, be they either human or Faunus. Wash obviously took those words to heart. You rarely see soldiers as noble as he was._

"_Hmph, remember that okay," Carolina smiled under helmet._

"_Boss?"_

"_We need more soldiers like you. Gives the Faunus less reasons to join the White Fang, and it would make our job a whole lot easier."_

"_Y-Yes Boss," Wash hesitantly chuckled._

* * *

Blows were exchanged between the two freelancers, each filled with a mixture of adrenaline and anger. The sounds of their fists against armor were the only sounds that echoed throughout the ruined village. Carolina delivered a roundhouse kick to her target's side only for Tex to block it. The rogue agent then tossed the freelancer back and tried to finish her with an overhook. Carolina backflipped away, but Tex threw a second punch, only to be caught by the cyan freelancer. She tried to counter with a punch of her own, however Tex caught hers as well. The freelancers were in a stalemate, their bodies tense as they bore into each other's visors.

"It doesn't have to be this way Carolina," Tex tried to convince the agent to stop.

"Shut up!" Project Freelancer's top agent pushed forward, "I promised myself that I'm going to make you pay and I plan to keep it."

"Thats just you're problem," the rogue freelancer fell backward, putting Carolina off balance.

Tex quickly planted her armored foot onto Carolina's stomach, sending her flying over into a nearby doorway.

"You don't know when to quit."

* * *

_The Mother of Invention's training room was quiet. With the ship in it's night cycle, most of the staff, minus the ones on night duty, were retiring to their bunks. Well, most of them._

"_F.I.L.S.S., run it again," Carolina ordered._

"_Resetting training room floor for next round," the ship A.I. replied._

_The cyan freelancer was then surrounded by green holographic targets, all encircling her at a fixed rate. Carolina struck her first target and quickly moved to the next. She began to pick-up speed the more holograms turned red and was still able to move fluidly between them. It was hard to believe that she wasn't even using her equipment._

"_Round complete," F.I.L.S.S. announced._

"_Run it again."_

"_That last round showed a 3.6% increa-."_

"_Just run it again!" Carolina commanded._

"_Resetting training room floor-."_

"_Cancel that order," York intervened, "Override: Foxtrot-12."_

"_Complying."_

_The holograms quickly disappeared, causing Carolina to give a displeased look at her partner. She saw that the scarred agent changed out of his tan armor and into a similarly colored T-shirt, black sweats, and a pair of slip-ons._

"_York," Project Freelancer's now No. 2 agent threatened, "You know how don't I like to be interrupted during my training."_

"_You do realize it's two in the morning, right?"_

"_So what?" _

"_So~. You should get some sleep."_

"_I'm fine," she huffed, "Besides, Wash already tried to convince me a while ago."_

"_And I'm guessing you _nicely _turned him down."_

_The cyan freelancer simply frowned under helmet, "What do you think happened?"_

"_You tell me," York pointed behind._

_Carolina glanced at the far wall and saw Washington sitting against it. His legs were spread and his back was arching to the left, causing his head to dangle loosely._

"_Kid was worried about ya and thought he could watch over you for the night. That obviously didn't go as planned."_

"_And why should I care?"_

"_D, prognosis?"_

_The green A.I. appeared between the two agents, "In his current position, Agent Washington is putting significant strain on his sternocleidomastoid and levator scapula muscle which in turn-."_

"_English Delta."_

"_If he does not rest in a more comfortable position, Agent Washington will have difficulty turning his neck and will possibly affect the outcome of future missions."_

"_And we wouldn't want that, would we?" York smirked at A-Squad._

_Carolina glared at her partner and defeatedly sighed. She marched towards the sleeping agent with York witnessing the whole thing._

"_Hey," she firmly, kicked Wash's armored leg, "Wake up!"_

"_Huh, wha-!?" the gray freelancer jolted._

"_You're going to ruin your neck if you keep on sleeping like that."_

"_Boss, you're done," he yawned, "Don't worry, I'm fine. See," Wash cracked his neck, but then cringed at the sudden uncomfortable pop in his spine, "Okay, maybe slightly less than fine."_

"_Go get some sleep," Carolina chuckled._

"_But what about you?"_

"_I met my quota for the night," she smirked under her helmet, "Come on, we've got a mission coming up and I need you at your best."_

"_Sure thing Boss."_

_York couldn't help but smile at the innocent scene in front of him. He knew she would deny it up front, but the tan freelancer could tell Carolina had a soft spot for their youngest teammate._

* * *

The door to the empty house splintered on contact with her armor, but Carolina quickly caught herself and rolled into a crouched position. Tex leaped through the now shattered entrance and charged forward. The cyan freelancer quickly grabbed a wooden chair close by and struck the rogue agent. Tex was momentarily stunned which gave Carolina enough time to put her in a chokehold from behind.

"I knew there was something odd about you!" the agent roared, "How you were treated differently than the rest of us, like you were so special."

The ex-freelancer responded with a headbutt to her visor and an elbow to her ribs. She then struck with a back kick, sending Carolina flying into a wooden cupboard. What was once dusty, expensive china was now nothing but shards.

"I didn't ask for the special treatment," Tex responded, "Hell, I didn't really question it until it was too late."

"Before you took everything from me," Carolina spat.

"That is not true!" the black freelancer jammed her finger, "We both know that all you cared about was being best and you would do anything to get it."

As Tex continued her rant, the cyan agent slowly reached for her grappling gun.

"You always said to rely on your teammates, but you shoved them under the bus the second you saw them as a liability."

At those words, the cyan freelancer fired her grappling hook at the table on the far side of the room. With one tug she sent it flying into the black freelancer, this time completely stunning her.

"RAAAHH!" Carolina roared with fury as she tackled Tex into the wall.

* * *

_Carolina sat in her usual seat on the pelican as it was preparing to take off. York was the last to get on, but not until he spoke to Wash before he left. Though her partner said nothing as he wordlessly took the seat next to her. No words were exchanged between squadmates as the pelican flew towards it's destination_

"_You know you could have handled that better," York deadpanned through their private channel._

"_Times are difficult right now," Carolina answered, "I can't show favoritism for one soldier."_

"_Is it really that bad to say, 'I'm worried about you so you should rest?'"_

"_I'm his commanding officer York, not his mother," A-Squad's leader glared, "I have to think about the unit and the mission first."_

_The scarred freelancer suspiciously stared, "Are you sure you're thinking about the mission?"_

_Carolina tilted her head, "What are you talking about?"_

"_I know that you're pissed for being one of the first agents to lose their A.I.'s," York explained, "Hell, you got two of them and you lost them only a few weeks after you're sparring match with Texas."_

_The cyan freelancer grimaced at the memory; after finding out about Tex's secret. She not only had an A.I. but also the strongest of them. It explained everything, how she was stronger and faster than the rest, why the Director always seemed to dote on her, the reason why she was always in the black freelancer's shadow. Knowing this, she demanded to be given an A.I. and the Director gave her the choice of the next two available. Surprisingly; she chose both ,and even more astounding, the man allowed it. Carolina didn't even wait to adjust to the two minds now occupying her brain. She wanted a match….and she was determined to get it._

_However, before the match even started, the Director bursted into the training floor and shouted something. The freelancers who came to watch didn't really pay attention to what he said, but instead to what it caused. For a few brief moments, agents who were implanted with A.I. chips were suddenly feeling intense pain as they collapsed to the ground. Carolina took it the worst, since she had the twin A.I.s implanted in her. Even after the fiasco that had just occurred, the cyan freelancer only trained harder to control the multiple voices in her head. She had almost had it until the Director announced the removal of all chips from the agents. A-Squad's leader felt more than appalled, she felt betrayed, like she was kicked back to square one. And was still Project Freelancer's number 2._

"_Look, this rivalry between you and her is starting to get out of hand," the tan freelancer put a hand on her shoulder, "It's starting to mess with your head."_

_Carolina angrily shrugged off the gesture, "You just don't get it York. I'm tired of being in her shadow, how she always thinks she's better than us. That's why I'm making up for that gap."_

"_Training is one thing, obsession is another," her partner sighed, "'Can't see the forest for the trees' am I right?"_

* * *

Gray bricks crumbled when a man-sized hole replaced the brick wall that was once part of a house. Carolina's attempts to control her anger were going well so far, but it was soon fading as she tried to pummel her opponent.

"First my rank!"

The cyan freelancer striked Tex's visor, only for her to block it.

"Than my credibility!"

She struck again, but the same result.

"But that wasn't enough!"

Carolina clasped her hands together and brought them down like a guillotine. Texas brought up her forearms just in time to take the brunt of the attack, but she could almost feel her armor denting under the pressure.

"You convinced my partner to commit treason!"

Tex then grabbed a nearby brick from the rubble and slammed it against the side of Carolina's helmet. The freelancer rolled to the side, giving Tex the chance to kick-back up onto her feet.

"York was only doing the right thing," she explained, "But you were just too blind to see it."

* * *

**Que: RVB OST- Ballet Breakup**

* * *

_Carolina rushed through the hall's of the Mother of Invention. She would be lying if she wasn't excited to finally have her match with Texas. The black freelancer had finally shown her true colors; going rogue, theft of military hardware, and murder of a fellow agent. When the Director assigned her to track her down, she had to fight back the smile forming under helmet. Now she had an opportunity to once and for all see which one of them was better._

"_Carolina," a familiar voice whispered._

_The cyan freelancer stopped in her tracks when she recognized whose voice it was. She felt the blood leave her veins when she saw that set of tan armor. She questioned why he was here, why was he armed, and most importantly….why was he in her way?_

"_Let's not do this," York pleaded, "It doesn't have to be like this."_

"_What are you doing here!?" Carolina questioned, aiming her pistol, "Why are you helping HER!?"_

"_It's not about her!" he claimed, "I'm just trying to do the right thing. You should too-!"_

"_I AM DOING THE RIGHT THING!" she practically screamed, "She just wants your A.I. York, she already killed Wyoming to get his."_

"_Is that what they told you?"_

"_I'm going to stop her. I have to."_

"_You don't have to prove anything," the tan freelancer stepped forward, "Come one, we can leave this place, get away from it all," he looked through both their visors with pleading eyes, "You can trust me."_

"_Maybe," Carolina pushed her gun forward, her voice almost quivering, "But you can't trust me."_

_York lowered his head, but quickly shoved her magnum out of her hand and gripped both her arm and shoulder. He tried to throw her into the wall, but the Project Freelancer's best fighter flipped over to regain her balance. She countered with multiple kicks, the first being successful, but didn't knock him out. Every time her blows either connected or were blocked, she could feel a part of her dying inside. Here she was; fighting against not only a traitor, but a partner, a close-friend, and tragically...the man she loved._

_The person in question backed away, trying one last attempt to changer her mind, "Carolina."_

_The woman only responded with a kick to a stomach, sending him into the wall, finally knocking him unconscious. She took out something from one of her armor's compartments, a sort of good-luck charm to her. In her hand was a lighter with a red cap, the very lighter that he had when they first met. The cyan freelancer said nothing as she tossed it to his feet before she ran off._

_She was thankful that she was wearing her helmet, or else someone would have seen the tear cascading down her cheek._

* * *

**End: RVB OST- Ballet Breakup**

* * *

The battle between the two soldiers continued, their fists sending the surrounding dust flying upon contact. There was an intense aura surrounding the two, one of pain….and one of hatred.

"I'm not your enemy Carolina," Tex blocked another kick, trying to pacify the agent's anger, "You're being lied to by-.

"SHUT UP!" the enrage freelancer exploded with a flurry of bunches.

The rogue agent couldn't keep track of all the armored fists striking her armor. Her only defense was raising her forearms like a wall in order to protect herself. Yet even as the agent's strikes grew with ferocity, Tex couldn't bring herself to hate her. Do not misunderstand, she would gladly put Carolina in her place if it would get her off her back. No, she wasn't angry towards her, Tex could only feel….sorrow for the woman.

After all, it was her fault that she became like this.

* * *

"_NOOOOO!"_

_Tex's wail echoed throughout the frozen mountains. She had failed. She failed her primary mission and now her back-up plan crumbled right in front of her. Many would obviously believe that Tex would have no soul to feel any remorse for what happened Wash. But they weren't entirely wrong. She regretted to not be able to save her target, but the rogue agent was also saddened by the fact she dragged Wash into this. Even with all of his training, he was still a kid. They never really talked much, but after finding out who she was, she felt….some sort of a connection with the young agent. And now he was gone, and with him, the end of Project Freelancer._

"_Well," Sigma sighed, not even two feet away from her, "This puts a damper on our plans wouldn't you say Texas?"_

_The rogue freelancer looked at fiery A.I. confused. What was he talking about? What did he mean by "their" plan?_

"_I knew it," a familiar soldier snarled._

_Tex turned towards the voice and saw Carolina, wide awake and a witness to the death of the last person closest to her. It was then that the former freelancer understood what was going on. She was the scapegoat, a distraction for the cyan freelancer to direct her anger while Sigma and the others could get away._

"_Carolina, wait-!"_

_Before she could defend herself or even come up with an explanation, Carolina charged forward, ready to kill the both of them._

_Maine stepped to the side, knowing fully well that the cyan freelancer's attention was solely on his "partner". Tex could only activate her equipment and disappear with the chilling winds. As she ran to safety through the frozen mountains, the sounds of Carolina's cries echoed for hours on end._

* * *

It was just like before, right when she was about to finish her….she disappeared. Her ability to cloak herself has always been a pain, especially now. Only this time Carolina didn't vent her frustrations towards the night sky, no, she wasn't going to act like that. She was a soldier and to lose control of her emotions like earlier was pathetic. The freelancer simply stared at the moon as she waited for the adrenaline to die down.

"_Agent Carolina,_" the Director questioned through her helmet radio, "_Report._"

"I tracked Texas to an abandoned village and engaged-."

"_Texas!? I thought I ordered you to track down the Meta?_"

"Sir, she's working with him," Carolina replied, "Once I take her down, she'll provide me with his location."

"_Did you at least have a clue to her location?_"

"...No sir," she lowered her head, "She used her equipment to escape."

"_I see. That is…unfortunate,_" the man sternly lectured, "_As much as I would like to reacquire stolen property, your mission is to eliminate former-Agent Maine. Texas' apprehension is secondary. Do I make myself clear?_"

"But sir-."

"_Do I make myself clear?_" the Director asked again more slowly and threatening.

The freelancer clenched both her teeth and fist as she begrudgingly answered, "Yes sir."

"_Good._"

When the transmission ended, there was nothing but the night wind's blowing through the village. Carolina unsealed her helmet, allowing her red hair to freely flow with the breeze. She rarely felt moments of peace like this; no freelancers, no rogue agents….no regrets. The freelancer then took out an old heirloom. A red-capped lighter now beginning to show signs of rust, and a pair of dog-tags wrapped around it. They were a constant reminder of the two people closest her, of what she was fighting for.

"York, Wash," she softly spoke to the items, "I'm….sorry. I'm sorry I failed you," her grip then tightened, "But when this is all over, when I avenge the both of you. I promise….I'll join you soon."

With a newly formed resolve, Agent Carolina returned to the city….resuming her hunt.


	19. Revelation

**A/N: [CONNECTION ESTABLISHED]**

**GaryOkampo logging on...**

**Here it is folks, the second to last chapter of Volume 1!**

**Omega: Enjoy to fullest...BEFORE YOU FACE OBLIVION! MWAHAHAHA!**

_**SLAP**_

**Bad Omega, go to the corner!**

* * *

After everything we had seen, I was surprised that we were all able to sleep that night. Thats is….except for me. How could I? I just saw a quarter of a guy's life which turned out to be completely fucked up! All that pain and suffering. Those people who used him, manipulated him, saying that they were his friends. It was no wonder he wouldn't expose himself to anyone.

I sighed to myself in order to calm down. My mind kept replaying those events that changed him. Losing his mind to a faulty computer program, then his teammates abandon him. His own partner who shot him in the back. But then I remembered someone. That little boy who always appeared at the most random of times, then disappears without a trace. How come I was the only one who noticed him? Why was it whenever I got close, he just ran away?

I looked towards my teammates, who were all fast asleep, or at least trying to. It was pretty clear that I was the only one who was still awake. I slipped out of my bed as quietly as I could, keeping track of Ruby's and Blake's breathing and Weiss' snoring. After getting changed into my regular outfit, I slowly left my room, making sure that no one woke up.

* * *

A nightly stroll is a great alternative to dealing with stress. The cool air against your skin really does help clear your head. I would have preferred a gym, but that place is most likely closed. I didn't care where I was going, I just let my feet take me where they want. Apparently, they took me back to the amphitheatre. How….convenient.

The doors were shut and the lights were out. I wouldn't be able to go inside even if I wanted to.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"GAAHH!" I jumped and looked back to find Professor Ozpin.

When the hell did he get there!?

"I figured after all you have seen," he stated, "You would want to stay away from this place."

He was right. After all the traumatizing shit I saw, I am surprised I even stepped outside my room. Either I have a strong will or I'm pretty stupid.

"But something tells me that you were drawn here," he marched towards me and leaned in, "Or maybe you saw something….that others could not."

I couldn't really find an answer to that. What I saw could have been a glitch, or something.

He then took out his scroll from his suit pocket and handed it to me, "Press this button here. The program will do the rest."

As he turned and walked away, I was finally able to speak up, "Professor Ozpin?"

His head only turned slightly, "Yes?"

"That day….you could have just turned him in, but you didn't. You two just met and you instantly wanted help. Why?"

Professor Ozpin looked up towards the moon high in the sky.

"Perhaps….," he sighed, "Perhaps I saw a bit of myself in him. How he forced himself to keep on marching like the soldier he was, no matter how much damage his mind and body sustained. Yet I couldn't help but notice his flaws. How he buried his past mistakes rather than accepting them. I know very well the effects of carrying such a burden, as well as trying to bear it all on your own," he then turned back to me, "That itself….is one of the biggest mistakes of all time. Just because one's past is painful, doesn't mean they must push forward alone," his expression softened, "Sometimes, they just need a friend at their side….to give a little nudge."

As he walked back towards who knows where, he said, "Don't worry, the doors are unlocked. Just close them on your way out."

I looked down at black scroll and then at Ozpin, but he was already gone. Again, how the hell does he do that? More importantly, why the hell do people keep disappearing around me!?

I sighed to myself once again.

No point in getting frustrated with the little things. I glared at the double doors and shoved them apart with all I had. Let's get this over with.

* * *

It was like the professor said, after I pressed the button that familiar grid light show appeared. Only this time; Delta didn't show up, leaving me all by myself.

"Hello?" I shouted at anything that could hear me, "Hey, Delta! Holographic douchebag! You there!?"

The headmaster said that the program would do the rest , but so far nothing. Maybe coming here was a waste of time.

"_Yeah, yeah. Just give me a sec._"

"W-Who's there!?"

I frantically scanned the amphitheatre until my eyes laid on a familiar glowing tile. However, instead of it being green, this time it glowed blue. Just like before, the tile extended upward like a pillar and morphed into a set of armor. Only this one was different from before. His armor looked a lot like Tex's, though his looked more "detailed" than hers.

"Delta?" I asked the figure.

"_Close,_" he chuckled, "_But no._"

Great, he even acts like him too.

"Well if you're not Delta, than who are you?"

He teasingly tilted his helmet, "_Come on Yang, you may be a blonde, but you're not **that** kind of blonde._"

Hold on….

No, it couldn't be.

"You," I growled as I took a threatening step forward.

"_N-Now hold on!_" Epsilon nervously backed away, "_Remember, I'm a hologram. You can't physically hurt me._"

Damn it, he's right! I'm not stupid. The last few times I forgot that this was all fake(too my frustration). I can't punch a holographic image through the face. Unless….

I opened the scroll and _scrolled_ through the items. Heh, still got it.

_Beep_

Nope.

_Boop_

No.

_Baap_

Too cliche.

_Pip_

Hmm, it's simple, but effective.

I selected the item and it formed right next to me. The blue A.I. glanced at it and quickly caught on.

"_Heh-heh,_" he fearfully raised his hands "_N-Now let's not be hasty._"

The smirk forming on my face grew wider as I picked up the metal crate and advanced forward.

"_No, Yang! Put that crate down! Let's talk about-!_"

_POW!_

The guy flew across the floor a couple of feet, his virtual helmet facing backwards.

"_Ow._"

God did that feel great.

"_Okay,_" he turned his bucket around until it was back where it was, "_Using an item from the database and smacking my head with it. Nice one-,_"

He looked up and found me with the crate raised above my head and a somewhat less pissed expression on my face.

"_W-W-Wait!_" Epsilon frantically waved his hands in surrender, "_Don't you at least feel a little better after that!?_"

"It's going to take a lot more than that to make feel _any_ better!" I aggressively stated, "Not after what you did!"

"_I'm sorry okay!_" he said in a panic.

My hands stopped mid-way when I heard those words, "You're….sorry?"

"_Do you think I wanted that to happen!? I didn't ask to go crazy while I was in my partner's head!_" Epsilon sighed to himself, "_Not a day goes by that I don't regret what I did to him. I mean for pete's sake, I'm practically the reason he got dragged into all this…._," he lowered his head in shame, "_And why he's… the way he is now._"

I could only stand there as I took in all he had said. I guess I was wrong to have judged him like that. It wasn't just Wash with a tragic past, Epsilon also had his own share of problems.

"...Fine," I reluctantly sighed, tossing away the crate, "Besides, I need your help anyway."

"_Okay, hit me. **Not** literally._"

"I need you to bring up Wash's memories."

"_Anything specific?_"

I reviewed the times when I saw the kid. Aside from that time in the graveyard, he mostly appeared on that ship.

"Something that takes place on the 'Mother of Invention'."

"_All right then,_" he intertwined his virtual fingers and stretched them out, "_One memory coming right up._"

Even though we just met, one thing I could say about Epsilon was that he was more….energetic than Delta. Still a bit of an asshole though. He dramatically raised his hands to bring up the holographic walls that began to transform into steel and glass. Eventually the whole place turned into the ship's lecture hall. Looks like the one where Wash was being introduced to the team. Though I didn't really care about that, I was more focused on finding that kid.

I scanned the entire room, but he wasn't there. I'll probably have better luck, if I walk the halls.

"_So now we're here,_" Epsilon deadpanned, "_What should I be looking for?_"

I didn't answer since I was already out the door. It was interesting at how the simulator could re-create the entire ship. This would be great for parties, like a haunted house or something. But, onto more important things.

I walked through the empty metal halls and so far….nothing, not single person. Makes sense since the memory takes place in that one room. Wash wouldn't remember the people outside-.

"_HEY!_" Epsilon formed in front of me.

"GAAHH!" I jumped back.

Goddammit, not again!

"_Where the hell are you going!?_" he demanded, "_I thought you wanted to see Wash's memories?_"

"And I am," I walked right through him, "I'm just….looking for something."

"_You mind telling me what that is?_"

I stopped in my tracks and briefly debated whether I should tell him not, "A little boy, roughly 7-years-old."

"_Really?_" Epsilon crossed his arms and tapped the lower area of his helmet, "_Military records listed Wash as one of the youngest crew members on the ship, but he was 15._"

"Look, I know that it sounds crazy, but it's the truth. He keeps popping up out of nowhere and then disappears soon after."

"_And what makes you so sure he'll come this time._"

"Oh, I'll find him," I smiled confidently, "I just got to be patient."

Sadly.

"_...Heh,_" he huffed, like he was smirking under that armor, "_Glad you're still confident as ever._"

"Which reminds me," I stopped to look back at the hologram, "You've been here….the whole time?"

Epsilon was quiet for awhile as we continued to walk down the hall shoulder to shoulder.

"_...Yes,_" he finally answered.

"Why didn't you just come out, tell us what was going on?"

"_You know how sensitive Wash can be about the past. Even if I did,_" the blue hologram tightened his gloved hands, "_He would never trust me or anyone ever again._"

"But aren't you his partner?"

"_With a past like ours, I should consider myself lucky that he even talks to me._"

I stopped in my tracks when I came to the realization at how scarred both of them were. One isolated himself from any attachment, while the other tried make up for his flaws.

"**_Go away!_**"

My blood ran cold when I heard that voice. The tone was different from before, it wasn't like a question nor did it sound the slight bit curious. No; this one sounded harsh, angry….and scared. I could only stand there, surrounded by four hallways on all sides, trying to determined where it came from.

Behind me? Nothing.

Left side? Nada.

In front? Deserted.

I slowly turned my head towards the right hall and there he was. Hiding behind the corner, his blonde bangs covering his eyes that were most likely glaring at me. He was holding onto the wall tightly as if he was anticipating what would happen next.

"Hey-!"

Damn it, shouldn't have announced myself like that. Why? Cause the kid instantly ran off.

"_Yang!_" Epsilon shouted when he saw me do the same, "_Wait!_"

I could feel the adrenaline building in my veins when the chase started. There was no way I was going to let him slip out of my fingers this time. But I couldn't help but feel like something about this was….off. How was it that this brat could run so fast? I'm in a full-on sprint and there's still a gap between us. That, and I had this weird feeling in my gut that I was being led somewhere.

"_Yang!_" Epsilon once again formed right next to me, "_You've gotta stop!_"

"No way!" I quickly turned another corner and kept running, "I'm not losing him again!"

"_No you've gotta listen to me! There's….something….happening!_"

I looked at the blue hologram and realized what he was talking about. His body was starting to get all staticy. It was like what happened before with Delta, only this time it looked like his body was falling apart.

"_I can't….maintain…._" his voice began to panic as it started cutting out with static, "_Being….blocked….on….own._"

And just like that, his body disappeared.

"Epsi-?"

_WHAM!_

I could feel my back make hard contact with the metal floor as my vision suddenly went blurry. The room was spinning around me with some stars popping up once in a while.

"Owww," I groaned.

When my vision finally cleared, with a helpful shake of my brain, I found the obstacle right in front of me. With everything that I've seen in the past few hours, nothing could have prepared me for this. What, you might ask? Well it just so happened that I found a door; and by door I mean a standard, wooden door. Now that is something you don't see everyday.

It was just standing there, right in the middle of damn the hallway. The frame was painted white, but parts looked like they were chipping away with age. Then there was the entrance itself, the thing was a regular brown, however there were dark burn marks spread throughout it's surface. Even the door knob looked rusted. First this kid's disappearing act and now this.

I know that he disappeared by running through this thing, which means it's my only gateway to him. There was no time to second-guess myself. With some newfound courage, I grabbed the rusty knob and slowly turned it. I could tell from all the supernatural and mind-fuck movies I've watched that there was going to be something behind this thing. Low-and-behold, I was proven right.

When I opened the door I was greeted by, guess what, another hallway. Only this one wasn't made of metal. It's narrower but still large enough for me to fit through. The place was dimly lit from the dying lamps in the ceiling, but I could still tell that there were burn-marks across the dark gray painted walls. I could hear the echos of what seemed like crying from further down the hall. The sounds of the old wood creaking underneath my boot only temporarily blocked out the noise. It was here that I finally got a better look at the walls. There were parts of it that were paler than the rest, as if something was removed. Like….photos.

I had finally reached the end and found myself in the remains of what seemed to be a dining room. Like the rest before, the place looked like it survived a massive fire. The four chairs nearly resembled charcoal and a rusty kitchen lamp was hanging over the table. However, that wasn't what caught my attention. It was the sounds of suppressed sobs that came from under the square-shaped table. I kneeled onto the floor to look under and found the kid. He had his knees brought to his chest, covering his crying face.

"Hey," I asked, barely above whispering, "Are you okay?"

The boy sniffled a couple times before looking up, but only enough for his hair to cover his face.

"My name's Yang," I smiled, trying to show I wasn't a threat, "And you are?"

He didn't answer.

Even if I couldn't see it, something told me he was staring at me skeptically.

"...So," my second attempt at starting a conversation, "You mind telling me what you're doing under there."

"_**I'm hiding,**_" he murmured.

"From what?"

"_**...The bad people,**_" the kid slightly lowered his head.

"And just who are the 'bad people'?" I innocently asked.

"_**Everyone.**_"

My brow briefly furrowed at his answer, "Everyone? Don't you have any friends?"

He then hugged his legs tighter and silently shook his head.

"Why is that?"

"_**So I don't get hurt,**_" he answered, "_**They always say that they're my friend, that they'll always be there for me. But that's a lie, in the end they use me and then toss me aside like trash,**_" he then lowered his head until it collided with his knees, "_**It's better to be alone.**_"

Definitely not like most kids.

"...You're right," I sighed, "There are people out there who will use you. But that doesn't mean everyone is an enemy. Do you always want to be alone?"

"_**I just….**_" he sniffed, "**_Don't know who to trust._**"

"You can never instantly trust somebody," I looked away ashamed, "Believe me, I've only recently found that out," I then slowly reached out my hand with a warm smile, "Even so, you just gotta try."

The kid only stared at the friendly gesture, which only made me feel nervous. I could feel my heart start to race once I saw him do the same. Our fingers were only inches apart until I saw something on the floor. The wooden planks began to transform into pixels and fall apart. It spread throughout the room like a virus; reaching the tables, chairs, and finally the boy. There was no screaming, no crying, he did nothing until everything around me was replaced with the amphitheatre.

"_Finally!_" Epsilon cheered when he came back online.

"What the hell!" I growled.

"_Hey, a little thank you would be nice!_" he yelled back, "_One minute we're looking through memories, then suddenly you run off and something interferes with my processors,_" he then brought up a screen that looked like a monitor you'd find at a hospital, "_But I guess I should be the one to congratulate you._"

"Me?" my brow lowered, "For what?"

"_Wash,_" Epsilon answered, "_I don't know what you did but he's waking up._"

He's awake, that means I can-!

"_Let me call Ozpin and let him-._"

"No wait!" I interrupted, "I….um….Can you give me like….five minutes with him, alone?"

"_Alone? Why would-?_" the blue hologram tilted his helmet, but then quickly straightened, "_Oh….Oh I see._"

Even with that bucket on his head, I could somehow feel like he was smirking under that thing.

"_Fine, I'll make the call later._"

"Right, thanks."

I instantly turned around and ran to the door, almost excitedly when I got closer.

"_Just remember that there are cameras!_"

I couldn't really think of any good comeback….I guess giving him the bird is better than nothing.

* * *

I immediately regret this decision. Five minutes ago I was trying to get here as fast as I could, but now I'm just standing here like a goddamn statue. I mean, what if he was still sleeping and just waking up? If he's awake then how am I going to explain how I, and the rest of us, know about his past? What if he somehow already knows and doesn't trust us anymore!? What if he doesn't want to see me!? Scenario after scenario ran through my head of how this would play out.

Okay Yang, nothing is going to get done if you just stand here thinking. Like you said earlier, you just gotta try.

Taking a deep breath before knocking really helped, but no one answering made me slightly nervous.

"Come in."

I took those words as my cue to go inside, briefly remembering the last time I went through this door. The place was still dark, but the moonlight passing through the windows on the far side helped brighten it up a little. The massive machine was turned off and was now just standing there. But that wasn't what I was looking at.

"Yang?"

Wash looked surprised when he saw me come through the door. Even in a medical gown and at night he's still wearing his sunglasses. How the hell does he see through those?

We nervously looked at each other, Wash scratching the back of his head and me playing with my hair. Both of us were patiently waiting to see who would speak up first. A couple days ago he admitted that we weren't friends. I, in return, punched him in the jaw. Now...Now neither of us know where we stand.

The awkward silence was getting to me, so I tried say something.

"You're….blonde."

Real smooth Yang, way to break up the tension.

"Oh, yeah," he tugged at one the strands. "I think it's grown a bit long while I was….asleep."

Long? The sides of your head are buzzcut while the top is shortly spiked. If that's "long" than I'm freakin' Rapunzel!

"If it's any help," I slightly smiled, "I know a good stylist in town."

He chuckled, "Maybe I'll take you up on that."

I took the small friendly chat as his way of letting me get close, so I grabbed the chair nearby and dragged it to the side of the bed so we could talk.

"...Yang," he started, "What are you doing here?"

I chewed my lip a little, "Somebody….told me that you were awake, so I came by too…."

"Epsilon," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Wh-Who?" I nervously laughed, trying to deny it, "Epsilon? What kind of name is that?"

Wash gave his usual frown at my reply, "He told me someone was coming to check up on me. I assumed it was Ozpin, but I didn't think he meant…."

I looked away guilty.

* * *

**Que: RWBY OST- Burning the Candle = 0:50-2:15**

* * *

"You know…," he glared at me, "Don't you?"

His grip tightened on his sheets which made me only feel worse.

"Yes," I lowered my head, "We all do."

"Did he tell you?" he asked again, not even looking at me.

"It's a long story, but basically we used some….holographic simulator to look at your memories and-," I stopped myself when I noticed he was gritting his teeth, "I'm sorry, we shouldn't have done that."

Wash looked towards the window and sighed, "There was nothing you could do. I probably couldn't tell it myself anyway," he then turned to me, "So you saw it? Everything?"

I slowly nodded, "Yeah. I can see why you don't trust easily."

"It's more than that," he countered, "You're right, in the end, I didn't fully trust any of you. But it was also because…..because I….I was," he lowered his head, "I was afraid."

My eyes widened in surprise. Those weren't the kind of words I expected Wash to say.

"Afraid of what?"

He brought a hand to his forehead and gripped his skull as if it was about to burst.

"At how you would all see me," Wash shuddered, "After the incident with Epsilon, I was sent to psych-ward. Everyday I was asked to recount what happened, being judged whether I was sane or not, how did the other agents treat me, that I should be medically discharged. In all that time, my so called teammates weren't there for me. Everyone thought I was broken or that I was weak because I couldn't handle a simple operation! I just…." his hand clenched tighter, "I just couldn't go through that again."

It was here that I saw an entirely different side of Wash. He wasn't the anti-social teammate or the distrustful ally. Sitting there was a man who had gone through so much pain that it would have broken just about anyone. He carried that burden all to himself, enduring so much to simply move on, not relying anyone because he thought he was alone.

"_Sometimes, they just need a friend at their side….to give a little nudge._"

The headmaster's words rang through my ears, as I finally realized what I can do for him.

"Wash," I spoke up, "Can you….Can you look at me for a second?"

He did as he was told as I scooted the chair closer to the bed so I could have better reach. Wash looked confused when he saw me prepare myself for what I was planning to do. I steadily brought my hands to his face, until they were resting against his cheeks.

"Y-Yang-?"

I quietly shushed him when I moved my hands upward towards his sunglasses. For a few brief moments, his skin felt cold against mine. He quickly grabbed my left hand when he realized where I was going.

"Yang," his face went from confused to anxious, "Don't."

Now wasn't the time to falter

"Wash, please," I quietly pleaded, my heart beginning to beat faster, "You….You have to trust me."

At first he looked nervous, but surprisingly, he sighed before agreeing. I gently gripped the hinges of his sunglasses and removed them like they were made of glass. I was surprised when I finally got a good look at him. His eyes, they look so….tired. Like he hadn't slept in days, even when he was in a coma.

"Night terrors," he solemnly answered, "Happens when I'm stressed, which has been happening alot lately."

I didn't reply, only driven more to do what was to come next.

"Close your eyes," I instructed, "Concentrate on my hands."

He slightly nodded his head as I placed my hands back onto his cheeks. I never thought I would be doing something like this, but it was too late to turn back now. I focused my Aura from my body, channeling it towards Wash as I began the ritual.

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee."

I quickly opened my eyes to see the results. I silently cheered when I saw a whitish-gray light outlining his entire body.

Wash examined his glowing hands, "W-What's-!?"

"I unlocked your Aura," I smirked, "No blood drinking required."

"Incredible," he stated in complete awe.

"Now you can go toe-to-toe with just about anyone."

"Yang I-I…," he stuttered a little, trying to find the right words, "I don't know what to say."

"A thank you would be nice," I confidently smiled.

"...Thanks Yang."

"Hey," I lightly punched his shoulder, "What are friends for?"

Wash rubbed out the non-existent bruise with a thankful smile.

"Yeah….friends."

* * *

**End: RWBY OST- Burning the Candle = 0:50-2:15**

* * *

**A/N: One down and one more to go. I'm trying to get the next one done soon so I can finish this by the end of the summer.**

**Keep your fingers crossed.**

**GaryOkampo logging off...**

**[CONNECTION TERMINATED]**


	20. Reconciliation

**Que: RVB OST- First Wave(Dr. Leonard Church)**

* * *

_Memory is both a gift and a curse. Sometimes, looking back at a "good" memory provides us with the hope we need to push onward. Yet at the same time, there are memories that serve as an emotional anchor. They weighs us down because we are unable to face past mistakes….and tragedies._

* * *

Washington stared at himself in the mirror, his school uniform freshly cleaned and ironed, with the tie as the final piece. Even if it had been two days, it felt like two years to him. This was his usual routine every morning, putting on the bits and pieces like his time in the military and it didn't bother him then. So why now? Why now does putting on a simple red necktie make his hands shake?

_Knock Knock_

Wash sighed in both relief and frustration when the noise at the door interrupted his second attempt at getting dressed.

"Give me a second!" he shouted.

He approached the four newly installed bolted locks. After the incident with the Meta and how he acquired Wash's EMP unit, it was clear that the ex-Freelancer's position had been compromised and had to be moved to another room. Professor Ozpin offered a new one that was "coincidentally" right next to team RWBY's dorm. Though Wash's paranoia made him feel like Beacon's headmaster had this planned all along. Of course the idea seemed a bit "far-fetched."

The cautious student opened the first three locks from the bottom-up until he stopped at the chain latch. He had opened just a crack with the tightened link as his only barrier. Thankfully, it was only a friend.

"_Good_ Mornin," Yang greeted cheerfully.

"Hey," was his tired response as he undid the final lock.

"What's with you?"

"Nothing," Wash huffed, returning to the mirror, "I'm just….having trouble….putting this…..on-FINALLY!"

"Hmmm," the blonde fighter leaned against the door frame, "If I didn't know any better I'd say you're nervous."

"That obvious?" Wash deadpanned.

"_Yes actually,_" Epsilon formed next to the ex-Freelancer, "_This guy woke up at six in the morning to put on his goddamn uniform. Which, by the way, doesn't need to take that fuckin long._"

Yang approached her nervous friend and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Everythings going to be fine."

Wash picked up the plastic container on his desk and examined it, "I doubt _another_ box of cookies is going to fix this."

Team RWBY's heavy hitter frowned at his cynical attitude. Similar to a certain cat-faunus she knew.

She then forcefully pulled Wash out by the arm, "Come on, don't start moping on me. Who knows, maybe they're not that mad."

Despite Wash's reluctance, he had to agree with probably his only friend left in the school, so he simply let her drag him along.

* * *

_For most of my life it has always been the latter. I allowed the pain of my own memories to control my actions. I feared betrayal, so I refused to trust anyone. I believe I'll one day be captured, so I constantly look over my shoulder. It's the same routine everyday…and I'm tired of it. I'm tired of pretending to move forward without taking the first step, fighting my battles alone when I truly need help the most._

* * *

Angst seemed like the perfect emotion that flowed through Wash's veins when they arrived at the cafeteria. There were students throughout the massive hall happily eating their food, chatting among friends. But they weren't the people he was looking for. His targets, the ones who needed his apology, were sitting at their usual table; making inaudible conversations with each other.

"I honestly doubt they'll forgive me," Wash grimmly stated, "I said some pretty harsh things at the time."

"So does Weiss whenever Ruby fails a pop-quiz," she quipped, but her tone then turned serious, "But you can't know for sure unless you _talk_ to them."

The troubled freelancer hesitantly nodded and Yang led the march towards their table of friends. Wash was in the exact same position months ago, but the atmosphere was entirely different. Every step made him more anxious than the last until they finally arrived.

Ruby was the first to notice her sister approaching, "Yang, where've you-!?"

Her eyes then widened when she saw who was behind her. Everyone else soon followed suit, which obviously made him more nervous.

"I-_Ahem_….I know that…." Wash sighed and raised the plastic bin, "I know that a box of cookies won't change what's happened, what I said to you all. You're right on one thing though, I actually was too paranoid to trust any of you and I'm sorry for that. But what I said to you all was real; the advice I gave, the words of encouragement, all of that was-GUH!"

The former freelancer was caught off guard when he suddenly felt someone familiarly wrapping their arms around his stomach.

"It's okay Wash," Ruby sobbed into his chest, "We're just happy you're okay."

Wash could only look at the others in surprise, "You...You are?"

"What do you think!? You're gloomy, anti-social, and extremely paranoid," Weiss huffed, "But, too be fair, perhaps we were a bit forward in demanding answers from you."

"What she means," Blake interrupted in order to apologize, "Is that we're sorry we didn't fully trust you either."

"You can never instantly trust somebody," Wash replied, "But sometimes you just gotta give a little."

Yang's eyes slightly widened, but not enough for others to notice when she heard those very words.

"Good advice," Pyrrha nodded in agreement, "Where'd you learn that?"

"I….I don't know actually," he scratched the back of his head, "It just sort of….came out, weird."

"_Yeah, definitely._"

Everyone at the table scanned the cafeteria in order to find the source of the hidden voice.

"Wait, who said that?" Jaune asked.

"_Down here._"

The group of friends looked towards the voice and found a tiny holographic figure, no bigger than a drinking glass, casually waving to them all.

"_What's up,_" the sapphire hologram greeted, "_The names Epsilon, course you all probably know that._"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"_What, no hello?_" Epsilon asked with mock offense, "_I expected at least one of you to start screaming._"

"Believe me when I say this," Weiss stared at the hologram, "After everything I've seen these past few days, nothing surprises me anymore."

"You gotta admit though," Ruby lowered herself to be at the A.I.'s eye level, "It's still pretty cool."

"Who wants a tiny cracker?" Nora playfully poked the hologram

"_Yeah, no,_" Epsilon teleported to Wash's shoulder, "_Hope you don't mind me coming out without permission._"

"Not at all actually," the ex-Freelancer casually shrugged, "I think it's about time I introduced everyone to my partner."

"_Ooohhhh,_" Epsilon crossed his arms, "_So we're partners now._"

Wash exposed a small grin, "Always have been."

"Well whaddaya know," Jaune chuckled, "You _can_ smile."

"You just gonna stand there all the day?" Weiss smirked at the two of them, "Or are you gonna join us."

"Yeah," Ruby cheered, "Bring on the cookies!"

The group laughed innocently amongst each other, the atmosphere around them now much lighter. It was the kind of energy that you would find among those close to each other. The kind you would find among friends.

"See," Yang happily patted Wash's back, "I told ya they're not that mad."

Team RWBY's final member rejoined her teammates to join in on their conversations. The only ones left were a former soldier and the presumed dead A.I.

"_This is it, isn't it?_" Epsilon proudly stared at the scene.

"Yeah," Wash answered happily, "Our second chance."

They strode towards the table, where their friends were waiting for them.

* * *

_I know the path ahead will be difficult, but if I have learned anything these past few days, is that I'm not really alone. Because I have new teammates, new friends. I have to believe...I __**know**_ _that they will be there by my side every step of the way. In return, I'll do everything I can….to be their for them._

_This is Agent Wash-..._

_First-year Beacon Student __**David**_ _Washington….signing off._

* * *

**End: RVB OST- First Wave(Dr. Leonard Church)**

**Que: RVB OST- Loom by Trocadero**

* * *

**In an unknown location…**

Being the counselor of Project Freelancer provided more responsibilities than one may realize. Information gathering and negotiating are only a few that can be named. He met the contact like usual and they would guide him towards who could possibly be a new…."ally" to their cause. Only one of these mercenaries were escorting him through the maze of hallways of what was supposed to be their headquarters. He mentally counted the number of men and women armed to the teeth as they passed by and so far he had only seen a dozen or so soldiers. Who knows how many more were under this man's command.

"Wait here," the mercenary ordered, his voice deep, symbolizing years of experience.

The Counselor kept a neutral expression as he patiently waited for the man to finish speaking to his superior.

"He's ready for you," the man motioned towards the metal door on the far end of the hall.

"Thank you," the Counselor kindly bowed.

The gray-armored soldier only clicked his tongue in response.

Black shoes against concrete echoed throughout the hallway until he had finally arrived. The entrance automatically slid open, revealing the dimly lit room, with only a metal desk and an armored figure sitting in the chair.

"Good evening sir," the military psychiatrist greeted, "My name is Aiden Price, I work for-."

"I know who you are," the figure responded, his voice filtered through his helmet.

"I see, then perhaps we can get straight to business," the Counselor began to step closer, "The organization I work for, is in need of assistance and will happily pay for your services."

"Project Freelancer never outsources, especially for military needs. With your connections and resources, why not rely on your own troops."

"It is true that we have the capital to support ourselves," Aiden looked away, feinting an act of shame, "But unfortunately are own forces are stretched to their limits. We simply need more soldiers to complete little….but important things."

The shadowed figure rose from his chair, saying nothing as he approached the left wall, revealing a weapons rack with an array of weapons. From pistols to light-machine guns and even a concussion rifle. It was quite the arsenal, and it was only a few steps away.

"Why come to us?" he grabbed the shotgun off the wall, "Surely there are more larger bands of mercenaries you can hire."

"Yes, but we prefer quality over quantity," the Counselor nodded, "And your men are famous for having no quarrels crossing certain….moral boundaries."

"Hmph," the mercenary played with the shotgun shell he had pulled off the shelf, "My men are soldiers, and they will follow orders regardless. However," he loaded the shell into the top loading port, "If we were to accept this job, what will you offer us in return."

"As I've stated before, Project Freelancer has a vast amount of resources and technology. Even in our current state we continue to make improvements and will gladly provide you and your men with these new inventions," Aiden swiped against his datapad, "Of course we will also pay you regularly."

The shadowy mercenary was silent for awhile, staring at his shotgun as he weighed his options. The Counselor could obviously tell that the man was a soldier through and through. Not only were the men under this man's command were famous for their discipline, but he himself was known for his lack of a conscience. He would jump into the pits of Hell and shoot the Devil himself if he was ordered to.

"Very well then," the mercenary finally answered, "My men and I are at your disposal."

"My superiors will be happy to hear that. I will send you the coordinates where your people can rendezvous with our agent in Vale," Aiden tapped a few keys on his datapad, "It will be a pleasure working with you Mister….?"

The man finally stepped out of the shadows, revealing the six-and-a-half-foot tall mercenary in steel gray armor with sage trims throughout. But the real eyecatcher, was the skull-like helmet with an "X" across it's visor; something that he rarely ever removed.

"Locus," the mercenary pumped the fore-end, "Reporting for duty...sir."

* * *

**End: RVB OST- Loom by Trocadero**

* * *

**A/N: Finally done!**

**I'm planning to take a break from this storyline, try out some other ideas I've got.**

**But don't cry folks, I'll be working on Volume 2 as well.**

**Epsilon: Enjoy the rest of the summer.**


End file.
